Workpiece transport and positioning apparatus

ABSTRACT

An automated workpiece processing apparatus including a processing section including a processing module configured for processing a workpiece at a process location, a transport module including a first shuttle stage, a second shuttle stage independent of the first stage, and an end effector connected to at least one of the first and second stages, the end effector being configured to hold and transport the workpiece into and out of the processing module, and having a range of motion, defined by a combination of the first and second stage, extending from a workpiece holding station outside the processing module to the processing location inside the processing module so the end effector defines a processing stage of the processing module, and an automated loading and transport section including a load port module through which workpieces are loaded into the automated loading and transport section, and being communicably connected to the transport module.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/538,391, filed on Nov. 11, 2014 which is a non-provisional of andclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/902,470filed on Nov. 11, 2013 the disclosures of which are incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The exemplary embodiments generally relate to automated workpieceprocessing systems and, more particularly, to automatic loading systemsfor automated processing systems.

2. Brief Description of Related Developments

Generally automated workpiece processing systems include workpiecetransports and processing modules. The workpiece transports aregenerally employed to transport workpieces to and from the processingmodules where the workpieces are placed on a workpiece holder forprocessing. During processing of the workpiece transports are removedfrom the process module and the process module is generally sealed.

Some of the process module workpiece holders include movable stagesconfigured to position the workpiece for processing. These movablestages, as well as the workpiece transports that deliver the workpiecesto the process modules, generally require settling times betweenmovements of the workpiece for allowing residual motion of the workpieceto diminish so that undesired vibrational modes of the workpiece are notpresent during processing.

It would be advantageous to have an automated transport and positioningsystem that that includes a workpiece transport that can deliverworkpieces to a process module and position the workpiece within theprocessing module during processing of the workpiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiment areexplained in the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2) is a schematic illustration of an automaticspecimen/sample loading system in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 1B-1D and 1H are schematic illustrations of portions of theautomatic specimen loading system of FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2) in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 1E-1G are schematic illustrations of portions of an automatedelectron beam microscope including the automatic specimen/sample loadingsystem of FIGS. 1A-1D and 1H in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment.

FIGS. 2A-2L are schematic illustrations of portions of a specimenpositioning system and portions thereof in accordance with aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 3A-3E are schematic illustrations of a specimen positioning systemand portions thereof in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 4A-4D are schematic illustrations of a workpiece in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 5A-5G, 5I and 5J are schematic illustrations of a specimencassette in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 5H is a schematic illustration of a portion of the specimenpositioning system of FIGS. 2A-2L and the specimen cassette of FIGS.5A-5G, 5I and 5J in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 6A-6F are schematic illustrations of a cassette magazine inaccordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 7A-7F are schematic illustrations showing an operation of theautomatic specimen loading system of FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2) in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an operation of the automatic specimenloading system of FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2)-1D in accordance with aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a portion of a process of theprocessing system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an operation of the automatic specimenloading system of FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2)-1D in accordance with aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of a processing system in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2) is a schematic illustration of an automatedtransport and positioning system 100 in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment. Although the aspects of the disclosed embodimentwill be described with reference to the drawings, it should beunderstood that the aspects of the disclosed embodiment can be embodiedin many forms. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elementsor materials could be used. It is also noted that while X, Y and Z axisare referred to, reference to these axes is exemplary only and in otheraspects the axes have any suitable directional identifiers.

It should also be understood that while the aspects of the disclosedembodiments are described herein with respect to a transmission electronmicroscope (TEM), the aspects of the disclosed embodiment can be appliedto scanning electron microscope (SEM), a dual beam focused ion beammicroscope (DB-FIB), scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM),any other suitable electron beam scanning/imaging device or any suitableworkpiece processing equipment having a process module PM where aworkpiece is supported on a stage or workpiece holder of an end effector(as described herein) during processing of the workpiece. For example,aspects of the disclosed embodiment are employed in any suitablemetrology equipment where a workpiece is held by the end effector of thedisclosed embodiment during measurement/inspection or other processing.As will be described below, in one aspect, the stage is an end effector101 of a workpiece positioning unit 104 of an automated transport andpositioning system 100 while in other aspects the stage is an existingpositioning stage PS of the process module PM.

In one aspect, in the context of the TEM, the automated transport andpositioning system 100 provides loading and storage of about 500 toabout 1000 specimens (also referred to herein as samples) in a singleexchange (e.g. loading of specimens) while in other aspects related tothe TEM or other suitable workpiece processing equipment (such as thosementioned above) more or less workpieces are loaded and stored. In oneaspect, the automated transport and positioning system 100 replaces theconventional positioning “stage” PS used in, for example, TEMs thatpositions specimen holders or grids within the TEM during imaging. Inother aspects the automated transport and positioning system 100replaces any suitable loading system of, for example, any suitablemetrology or other processing equipment. In one aspect, the automatedtransport and positioning system 100 also provides for complete,high-resolution, high-speed, high-stability position control of theworkpiece during imaging or inspection. As will be described below, inaccordance with the aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the gridhandling and storage operations as well as the positioning of thespecimen in the TEM column is effected with, in one aspect, eightcontrolled degrees of freedom and, in other aspects, with ninecontrolled degrees of freedom.

As will also be described below, the automated transport and positioningsystem 100 includes a transport and positioning unit 140 that has an endeffector 101 configured to substantially directly handle any suitableworkpiece 400 such as a grid (or other suitable specimen holder) with orwithout, for example, the use of a carrier or adapter that interfacesthe workpiece with the handling system. In one aspect a gripper of theend effector 101 is operated through coordinated movement of, in oneaspect, two or more of the eight controlled degrees of freedom and, inother aspects, nine controlled degrees of freedom, which when combinedact to open and close the gripper while maintaining the end effectorposition constant relative to the workpiece as well as effect multipleindependent degree of freedom motion of the end effector 101. In otheraspects the gripper of the end effector is operated in any suitablemanner such as with a dedicated drive that drives the gripper. In oneaspect, the end effector 101 is configured to manipulate the workpiecein a high vacuum environment, such as within an objective lens chamber(described below) of an electron microscopy system, or any othersuitable environment such as a non-vacuum or low vacuum environment. Theend effector 101 is configured to grip individual workpieces duringextraction from any suitable workpiece holding cassette 102 as well asbe configured for the placement and removal of the workpieces to andfrom a pre-aligner stage 103 for rotational alignment of the workpiece.In one aspect the end effector 101 (and the workpiece positioning unitor multistage shuttle 104 which the end effector is a part of) isconfigured to provide a precision and rigid interface to support thegrid mounted specimen which enables fast position moves (e.g. about 8 toabout 24 microns or any other suitable distance) and rapid settling(e.g. to about less than 5 nanometers) in less than about 100 mssubstantially without introducing undesired vibrational modes in theworkpiece during imaging. In other aspects the end effector 101 (and theworkpiece positioning unit 104 which the end effector is a part of) maybe configured to perform fast position moves (e.g. about 8 to about 24microns or any other suitable distance) and rapid settling (e.g. toabout less than 4 nanometers) in less than about 25 ms to about 35 mssubstantially without introducing undesired vibrational modes in theworkpiece during imaging. It is noted that while the end effector 101 isshown has having a single workpiece holding gripper in other aspects theend effector is configured to hold multiple workpieces in, for example,a side by side arrangement or any other suitable arrangement. As will bedescribed below, the automated transport and positioning system 100includes a drive section having multiple degrees of freedom (in oneaspect at least three degrees of freedom) for effecting any suitableprocessing of samples within the process module including but notlimited to thin section tomography. In one aspect, as described herein,the multiple degrees of freedom of the drive section of the automatedtransport and positioning system 100 includes at least one linear axistraverse and rotation about at least 2 axes angled relative to eachother. In one aspect the drive section of the automated transport andpositioning system 100, as will also described herein, is configured toeffect an automatic picking of the workpiece with the end effector 101.In one aspect, the drive section of the automated transport andpositioning system 100 effects motion of the end effector with micronlevel resolution (e.g. in one aspect about 0.5 microns while in otheraspects more or less than about 0.5 microns) and repositioning todifferent, for example, tomography inspection positions in less thanabout 100 ms.

As will be described below, in one aspect, handling (e.g. picking andplacing) of the workpiece is performed utilizing a vision system thatincludes one or more cameras or optical detectors and/or an illuminationunit integrated substantially directly into the end effector 101 and/orat other suitable locations off of the end effector where workpieces areimaged as described herein. The integral vision system providessubstantially continuous monitoring of the workpiece handling operationsand permits a closed loop control of each operation through any suitableimage analysis algorithms that are stored in any suitable memory 199M ofany suitable controller 199 connected to the automated transport andpositioning system 100. It is noted that the controller 199 is suitablyconfigured to control the automated transport and positioning system inthe manner described herein. In one aspect the controller 199 isconnected to, in any suitable manner, or integrated in a laboratoryinformation management system LIMS for tracking the location of specimensamples within a laboratory or other facility as described herein. Thevision system provides for workpiece fiducial (or other suitablefeatures of the grid) detection to effect workpiece alignment during theworkpiece handling operations. In other aspects the vision systemprovides for workpiece identification, tracking and/or effect controlledguided movement of the end effector. Suitable examples of workpiecetracking can be found in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/538,327 and filed on Nov. 11, 2014, and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/538,332 and filed on Nov. 11, 2014 the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

In one aspect the workpieces are held in cassettes 102 and the cassettes102 are held in one or more magazines 105 that are configured forinsertion into the automated transport and positioning system 100 aswill be described below. The magazine 105 and cassettes 102 therein areconfigured to provide for the automatic loading and removal of thecassettes 102. For example, the magazine 105 and cassettes 102 includekinematic features that permit substantially direct handling of themagazine 105 and cassettes 102 (e.g. as a unit or individually) by anautomated handling system within the automated transport and positioningsystem 100 and external to the automated transport and positioningsystem 100. In one aspect the magazine 105 and cassettes 102 areconfigured for use in vacuum environments while in other aspects themagazine 105 and cassettes 102 are configured for use in non-vacuumenvironments. In one aspect the cassettes 102 and magazine 105 areconfigured for use in cryogenic environments or any other suitableenvironment having any suitable temperatures. In one aspect the cassette102 and magazine 105 are substantially similar to that described in U.S.Provisional Patent application No. 61/902,470 filed on Nov. 11, 2013 andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/538,327 and filed on Nov. 11, 2014,the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Still referring to FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2)A and also to FIGS. 1B-1D theautomated transport and positioning system 100 includes a casing orframe 140F, transport and positioning unit 140 connected to the frame140F, a pneumatics module 130 (which may be connected to the frame) andcommunicably coupled to the transport and positioning unit 140, and avacuum module 172 (which may be connected to the frame) and communicablycoupled to the transport and positioning unit 140. In one aspect thepneumatics module 130 includes an air source 130S and any suitablevalves V1G, V2G, V3T, V4R, V5R, V6 for operating, e.g., valves andclosures of the transport and positioning unit 140 and/or vacuum module172 described herein. The vacuum module 172 includes any suitable vacuumpumps P1R, P2T, P3I and gauges G1R, G2H, G3H, G4H for pumping andmaintaining the internal chambers of the transport and positioning unit140 at any suitable vacuum pressure for interfacing with, for example,the TEM or other suitable process module PM. In one aspect the vacuummodule 172 also includes any suitable valves V3T, V4R, V5R, V6, V7T,V8V, V9V for selectively isolating, e.g., the vacuum pumps from eachother and/or from the chambers of the transport and positioning unit140.

In one aspect the frame 140F forms or is integral (e.g. of one pieceunitary construction) to at least part of the transport and positioningunit 140. In other aspects the transport and positioning unit 140 isconnected to the frame 140F in any suitable manner. In one aspect thetransport and positioning unit 140 includes an automated loading andtransport section or load lock 120 having a sealable chamber 120C and atransport module or section 125 having a sealable transport chamber125C. The chamber 120C is selectively communicably connected to thechamber 125C through a closable opening or port 120P. In one aspect thetransport and positioning unit 140 includes any suitable gate valve V2Gconfigured to selectively seal the port 120P for sealing or otherwiseisolating an atmosphere of the chamber 120C from an atmosphere of thechamber 125C. The load lock 120 includes any suitable door 120Dconfigured to seal a loading opening of the load lock 120. While asingle door 120D is illustrated in the figures as being located on aside of the chamber 120C it should be understood, in other aspects, thesingle door 120D is located on a top of the chamber 125C (see FIG.1D—e.g. to allow for automated opening and closing of the door foroverhead loading of magazines 105 in the chamber) or in still otheraspects more than one door (e.g. on a top and on a side—see FIG. 1H)provides access to the chamber 125. In one aspect the door is hinged tothe load lock 120 while in other aspects the door is removable from theload lock 120D for allowing access to the chamber 120C. In one aspectthe door 120D has a manual closure, and in other aspects the door 120Dhas an automated closure. In other aspects the chamber 120C may notinclude a door such that the atmosphere within chamber 125C is cycledbetween, for example, a process atmosphere and atmospheric pressure whencassettes are introduced and removed to and from the chamber 125C. Theloading opening is configured to allow ingress and egress of one or moreworkpieces to and from the chamber 120C. In one aspect, as will bedescribed further below, the workpieces are TEM grids held by cassettes102 which in turn are held in a magazine 105. In one aspect the loadlock includes an automated transport shuttle 120MS including apositioner unit 120MSP. The positioner unit 120MSP includes any suitablemotors and/or guides for allowing movement of the transport shuttle120MS within the chamber 120C and be configured for operation in one ormore of a vacuum or atmospheric environment. The positioner unit 120MSPincludes any suitable drive or motor A1L for moving the transportshuttle 120MS along at least the Y axis. In one aspect the motor A1L isa DC stepper motor that drives a screw drive for positioning thetransport shuttle 120MS with a positioning resolution of about 5 um. Inother aspects the motor is any suitable motor having any suitablepositioning resolution such as a piezo motor, brushless or brushedmotors, etc. The transport shuttle 120MS is configured to hold one ormore magazines 105 and transport or otherwise move the magazines (e.g.via the positioner unit 120MSP) in one or more of the X and Y directionsso that a predetermined cassette 102 is aligned with the port 120P fortransport into the chamber 125C as will be described below. Thetransport shuttle 120MS includes any suitable kinematic features thatmate with corresponding kinematic features (described below) of themagazine 105 for positioning the magazine relative to the transportshuttle 120MS. As may be realized, in one aspect, the kinematic featuresare also configured so that the magazine 105 can be placed on thetransport shuttle 120MS in only one predetermined orientation. In otheraspects, the transport shuttle 120MS includes any suitable features forpositioning the magazine 105 on the transport shuttle 120MS in anysuitable number of orientations and in any suitable manner. In oneaspect the magazines 105 and the load lock 120 are configured for manualoperator insertion and removal of the magazine 105 to and from the loadlock 120 while in other aspects the magazines 105 and the load lock 120are configured for automated insertion and removal of the magazine 105to and from the load lock 120.

In one aspect the transport module 125 includes a process moduleinterface 125I configured to couple and uncouple the transport andpositioning unit 140 to and from a corresponding interface, such asinterface or port 180P, of the process module PM so that the loadingunit can be installed to or removed from the process module PM as aunit. The process module interface 125I includes a closable opening orport 125P that communicably connects the chamber 125C with an interiorof the process module PM. The transport and positioning unit 140includes any suitable gate valve V1G configured to selectively seal theport 125P for sealing or otherwise isolating an atmosphere of thechamber 125C from an internal atmosphere of the process module PM.

In one aspect the transport module 125 includes a cassette shuttlechamber 126C communicably connected to the chamber 125C. The cassetteshuttle chamber 126C includes a workpiece or cassette shuttle 126 thatis driven along any suitable axes by a workpiece shuttle positioner126P. The workpiece shuttle positioner 126P includes any suitable drivesor motors A2L and/or guides for allowing movement of a cassette shuttlegripper 126G along at least the Z axis. In one aspect the motor A2L isan ultrasonic piezo motor with less than about 1 um positioningresolution while in other aspects the motor A2L is any suitable motorhaving any suitable position resolution such as stepper motors,brushless motors, brushed motors, etc. The cassette shuttle gripper 126Gis opened and closed in any suitable manner by any suitable drive A9R(e.g. such as by a two-state or open/closed actuator). In one aspect theworkpiece shuttle 126 is a linear stage configured to move (via theworkpiece shuttle positioner 126P) a cassette gripper 126G mounted tothe workpiece shuttle 126 into a position (e.g. through the port 120P)for picking/removing and placing/inserting a cassette 102 from and to amagazine 105 located in the chamber 120C. The workpiece shuttle 126 isalso configured to move the cassette 102, held by the cassette gripper126G, to a predetermined pick/place position or workpiece holdingstation 176 along at least the Z axis to allow the end effector 101 ofthe workpiece positioning unit 104 to remove and/or insert a workpiecefrom and/or to the cassette 102. In one aspect the workpiece shuttle 126is also configured to move the cassette 102, held by the cassettegripper 126G, to a predetermined buffer position (as will be describedbelow) to allow the workpiece positioning unit 104 to move along atleast the Y axis for transporting the workpiece to the processing modulePM for processing without returning the cassette 102 to the magazine105.

In one aspect a workpiece pre-aligner stage 103 is mounted to thecassette shuttle 126 (e.g. the pre-aligner stage and the cassetteshuttle 126 move along at least the Z axis as a unitary member) foraligning workpiece prior to or post processing of the workpieces in theprocessing module PM. In other aspects the pre-aligner stage 103 ismounted to the frame 140F independent of the cassette shuttle 126 sothat the pre-aligner stage is stationary along the Z axis or is movablealong the Z axis independent of the cassette shuttle 126. Thepre-aligner stage 103 includes any suitable drive A8R configured toprovide rotation of the workpiece about the Z axis. In one aspect thedrive A8R includes a brushless DC motor, an 800:1 gearbox (or any othersuitable gearbox having any suitable drive ratio) and an encoderproviding about 0.03 degree resolution. In other aspects the drive A8Ris any suitable motor having any suitable gearbox and encoder providingany suitable degree of resolution. In operation, as will be describedbelow, the workpiece positioning unit 104 picks a workpiece 400 (seee.g. FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2) for exemplary purposes only) from a cassette102 and transport the workpiece to a rotational chuck of the pre-alignerstage 103 for workpiece orientation.

As may realized, the aspects of the disclosed embodiment illustrated in,for example, FIGS. 1B and 1C are illustrated with the automatedtransport and positioning system 100 being connected or otherwisecoupled to a process module, such as a conventional TEM, SEM, DB-FIB,STEM or other suitable electron beam scanning/imaging device, forautomatically transporting workpieces 400 into a column of the processmodule PM and for positioning the workpiece 400 in front, for example,the electron beam to take images of a specimen sample mounted to theworkpiece 400. In other aspects, a purpose built processing system 100Athat includes a process module PM and the automated transport andpositioning system 100 is provided. The purpose built processing system100A improves integration of the automated transport and positioningfunctions (as described herein) of the automated transport andpositioning system 100 with an automated electron beammicroscope/process module PM. In one aspect the purpose built system100A includes only the required microscope components (e.g. such as theauxiliary system AUX and power supply as described below), electronoptics, camera/imager and any suitable analysis software (such as totrack and analyze the processing of the specimens). In one aspect thepurpose built system is stripped of one or more manually operatedfeatures that are included with, for example, a conventional electronbeam microscope/process module to provide an automated and lower costimaging/analysis system in which the functions of the electron beammicroscope/process module and the automated transport and positioningsystem are integrated into a common system.

Referring to FIGS. 1E-1H the purpose built processing system 100Aincludes a processing module PM, the automated transport and positioningsystem (ATPS) 100, electron beam auxiliary systems AUX, ATPS auxiliarysystems AUX2, a vibration control platform VBC and an electron beam highvoltage power supply HV. The processing module PM, is in one aspectconfigured as a TEM but in other aspects the process module isconfigured as an SEM, a DB-FIB, STEM or any other suitable electron beammicroscope/scanning/imaging device. For exemplary purposes only, theprocessing module PM includes a column or housing PMC connected to aprocess module frame PMF, a portion of which defines an objective lenschamber 8CH. In one aspect, the transport and positioning unit 140 ofthe automated transport and positioning system 100 has an integralcasing 140F with, for example, an objective lens chamber 8CH of theelectron microscopy system where the integral casing forms a transportchamber 125C having a common atmosphere with the objective lens chamber8CH. The column PMC generally includes electron optics such as anysuitable electron source 1 (e.g. having a voltage source HV), anextraction electrode 2, a first electrode 3 and at least a secondelectrode 4 which are arranged along optical axis OA. The extractionelectrode 2 is located downstream of the electron source 1 and isconfigured to extract electrons from the electron source 1. The firstelectrode 3 is configured to focus the source position and the at leastone second electrode 4 is provided for accelerating the electrons comingfrom the electron source 1 (as may be realized the at least one secondelectrode 4 allows for an adjustable energy of the electron beam EB).

In the remaining length of the optical axis OA a multistage condenserCOND is provided and includes three magnetic lenses (e.g. a firstmagnetic lens 5, a second magnetic lens 6 and a third magnetic lens 7),to which an objective 8 in the form of a magnetic lens with an objectiveaperture 10 is arranged. As noted above, the objective 8 and objectiveaperture 10 are disposed in a portion of the column PMC that forms theobjective lens chamber 8CH. As may be realized, the objective lenschamber 8CH is described herein with respect to the purpose builtprocessing system 100A but is should be understood that other suitableelectron microscopy systems such as TEM, SEM, DB-FIB and STEM includeobjective lens chambers defined by an area of the electron microscopycolumn in which the objective lens(es) are located and in which thespecimen is placed for imaging. An object plane 9 on which a specimensample to be examined is located (as described herein) is provided on oradjacent to the objective 8. A corrector 16 is located downstream fromthe objective 8 and is configured to correct, for example a sphericalaberration of the objective 8. In one aspect the corrector 16 includes afirst transfer lens 11 (which in one aspect is a magnetic lens) that isconfigured to image a rear focal plane of the objective 8 and generate areal intermediate image 14 of the object plane 9. A first correctionsystem 12 (which in one aspect is a multipole) is provided in the planeof the intermediate image 14 generated by the first transfer lens 11. Asecond correction system 13 (which in one aspect is a multipole) and asecond transfer lens 13 are connected downstream from the firstcorrection system 12. The second transfer lens 15 images theintermediate image 14 of the object plane 9 in an input image plane 17of a projector system including lenses 18, 19. The projector system 18,19 generates an image on a detector 20 (e.g. of imaging system PIS) ofthe sample situated in the object plane 9 and imaged in the input imageplane 17 of the projector system 18, 19. Again, it is noted that theconfiguration of the process module PM described above is for exemplarypurposes only and in other aspects the process module includes anysuitable components forming a TEM, SEM, DB-FIB or any other suitableelectron beam scanning/imaging device.

The column PMC includes, in one aspect, one or more interface ports180P. In one aspect, the one or more interface ports 180P includemotorized apertures for inserting specimen samples into the column PMCin any suitable manner for imaging/analysis.

The automated transport and positioning system 100, as described hereinincludes frame 140F that is coupled to or integrally formed with theprocess module frame PMF so that the workpiece positioning unit 104 islocated relative to the column for positioning the workpiece 400 withinthe objective lens chamber 8CH in, for example, the object plane 9 andwithin the electron beam EB (as illustrated in FIG. 1G), where theworkpiece 400 is held on the end effector 101 of the workpiecepositioning unit 104, as described herein, during imaging of thespecimen such as for tomography inspection or for any other suitableimaging process. In one aspect, the workpiece positioning unit extendsthrough a port 180P of the column PMC. In one aspect the automatedtransport and positioning system 100 includes auxiliary systems AUX2that include, for example, the vacuum module 172, the pneumatics module130 and controller 199 as described herein. In one aspect the processmodule PM and the automated transport and positioning system 100 aremounted on or otherwise supported by any suitable vibration controlplatform VBC. In one aspect the vibration control platform VBC is anactive vibration control platform including any suitable actuatorsconfigured to cancel any vibrations that occur in the system 100A whilein other aspects the vibration control platform VBC is a passivevibration control platform configured to cancel vibration in the system100A in any suitable manner.

The system 100A, in one aspect also includes an auxiliary system AUX andpower supply HV for the process module PM. In one aspect the auxiliarysystem AUX includes a vacuum system, a cooling system and a controlsystem (which in one aspect is connected to or integral with control199) for the process module. The power supply HV is any suitable powersupply such as, for example, a high voltage power supply. As may berealized, the configuration of the purpose built processing system 100Adescribed herein is exemplary and for illustration purposes only and inother aspects the purpose built processing system 100A has any suitableconfiguration for imaging and tracking samples as described herein.

Referring also to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2G, the transport module 125 includesthe workpiece positioning unit or multistage shuttle 104 which isconfigured to pick/place workpieces from cassettes 102, transport theworkpieces to the processing module PM and support the workpieces duringprocessing within the processing module PM. The workpiece positioningunit 104 includes a first shuttle stage 104S1 (gross positioning stage)having multiple degrees of freedom of movement configured to move theend effector 101 along at least the X, Y axes and about pitch axis PX.The workpiece positioning unit 104 also includes a second shuttle stage104S2 (fine positioning stage) that is carried by the first stage but isseparate and distinct from the first stage in its operation. The secondshuttle stage 104S2 includes multiple degree of freedom movement,independent of the first shuttle stage 104S1, configured to move the endeffector 101 along at least the Y axis and about the tilt axis TX (e.g.the alpha tilt axis). The combined movements of the first and secondshuttle stages 104S1, 104S2 provide the end effector 101 with a range ofmotion extending from a workpiece holding station (e.g. thepredetermined pick/place position 176 of the cassette 102 noted above)outside the processing module PM to a processing location 177 inside theprocessing module PM for positioning the workpiece at the processinglocation 177 so that the end effector 101 defines a processing stage ofthe processing module PM.

The first shuttle stage 10451 includes a Y axis drive or motor A3L, an Xaxis drive or motor A4L and a pitch axis PX drive or motor A5L. Whilethe first shuttle stage 104S1 is described and illustrated as beingmounted to the frame 140F, in other aspects the first shuttle stage104S1 is configured with a separate and distinct mechanical docking orlocking interface that mates with corresponding features of the processmodule PM. It is noted that, in one aspect, each of the drives A3L, A4L,A5L (as well as the other drives described herein) respectively includeany suitable encoders 248, 246, 247 which are, for example, opticalencoders, laser interferometric encoders, capacitive or inductiveencoders or any other suitable encoder or combinations thereof. In oneaspect the encoders described herein have a picometer positionresolution while in other aspects the encoders have any suitableposition resolution that may be consistent with the positioningresolution of a respective drive motor of the axis along which theencoder is providing position data. In still other aspects the encodersdescribed herein have a positioning resolution that is larger or smallerthan the position resolution of the respective drive motor. In otheraspects the drives described herein employ any suitable integralposition sensing capabilities of the drives. It is noted that, in oneaspect, any suitable portions of the drives A3L, A4L and A5L are sealedfrom an atmosphere of the chamber 125C for isolating components, such asmotors, to allow operation of the drives in a vacuum environment. Inother aspects drives A3L, A4L and A5L are configured to operate in avacuum environment in any suitable manner while in still other aspectsthe drives are configured to operate in an atmospheric environment. TheY axis (or longitudinal) drive A3L includes any suitable motor and alinear stage having any suitable mechanical and/or solid stateelectromagnetic (and/or permanent magnet) guides 290 for translating theend effector 101 along the Y axis. In one aspect the motor is anultrasonic piezo motor with less than about 1 um positioning resolutionwhile in other aspects the motor is any suitable motor having anysuitable positioning resolution such as a stepper motor, brushlessmotor, brushed motor, etc. The drive A3L is configured to move the endeffector towards and away from the cassette 102 (e.g. held by thecassette gripper 126G of the cassette shuttle 126) for picking andplacing workpieces from and to the cassette 102 and transporting theworkpiece along the Y axis any suitable desired distance. The drive A3Lis also configured to move the end effector 101 into the processingmodule PM for processing of the workpiece held by the end effector 101.

The X axis (or lateral) drive A4L includes any suitable motor and alinear stage having any suitable mechanical and/or solid stateelectromagnetic (and/or permanent magnet) guides 291 for translating theend effector 101 along the X axis. In one aspect the motor is a steppingpiezo motor with picometer range positioning resolution while in otheraspects the motor is any suitable motor having any suitable positioningresolution such as a stepper motor, brushless motor, brushed motor, etc.While the drives A3L and A4L are illustrated as being stacked (e.g. onedrive is mounted to the other drive), in other aspects the X and Ydrives of the first shuttle stage 104S1 are a combined two-dimensionaldrive having any suitable configuration such as a magnetically suspendedplaten capable of movement along one or more of the X and Y axes. Thedrive A4L is configured to move the end effector laterally along the Xaxis in the chamber 125C so that all columns in the cassette 102 (e.g.held by the cassette gripper 126G of the cassette shuttle 126) as wellas the pre-aligner stage 103 are accessed by the end effector 101 forworkpiece picking and placing operations. In one aspect the drive A4L isalso configured to move the end effector (and the workpiece locatedthereon) within the processing module PM in the X direction to providemotion of the workpiece in the X direction during processing of theworkpiece.

The pitch axis PX drive A5L includes any suitable motor for pivoting thesecond shuttle stage 104S2 about the pitch axis PX. For example, secondshuttle stage 104S2 may be pivotally mounted to the first shuttle stage104S1 in any suitable manner such that the second shuttle stage isrotatable or pivotable about the pitch axis PX. The drive A5L is coupledto both the first shuttle stage 104S1 and to any suitable portion of thesecond shuttle stage (e.g. such as a housing 104H of the second shuttlestage) in any suitable manner that allows the drive A5L to pivot thesecond shuttle stage 104S2 about the pitch axis PX. In one aspect anysuitable damper PXD is provided at any suitable location, such asmounted to the first shuttle stage 104S1 and is configured to providelateral support and dampening to the housing 104H. In one aspect thedamper PXD includes a post 268 and any suitable elastomeric element 269configured to engage and dampen lateral movement of the housing 104H(and the end effector 101). Pivotal movement of the second shuttle stage104S2 about the pitch axis causes movement of the end effector 101 inthe direction of arrow 250. Movement of the end effector 101 in thedirection of arrow 250 about the pitch axis PX serves to move theworkpiece along the Z axis and approximates a translation which is usedfor positioning the workpiece at, for example, a predeterminedprocessing location (e.g. such as at the euccentric location of a TEMbeam). In one aspect, the drive A5L is also utilized for small (e.g.less than about ±3 mm) Z axis motions during picking and placing ofworkpieces to and from the cassette 102 and/or pre-aligner stage 103. Inone aspect the drive A5L includes a stepping piezo motor with picometerpositioning resolution while in other aspects the motor is any suitablemotor having any suitable positioning resolution such as a steppermotor, brushless motor, brushed motor, etc. In other aspects theworkpiece positioning unit 104 is provided with a Z axis driveconfigured to move one or more of the first or second shuttle stage104S1, 104S2 (or any other suitable portion of the workpiece positioningunit 104) along the Z axis so that the workpiece positioning unit 104has, for example, 9 degree of freedom movement.

The second shuttle stage 104S2 includes an assembly having a housing104H. In one aspect the housing 104H is a sealed housing to isolate, forexample, an operating environment of the drive motors (and any othersuitable components) from an environment (such as a vacuum environment)within the chamber 125C. The shape of the housing 104H illustrated inthe figures is exemplary only and in other aspects the housing has anysuitable shape. The housing 104H is configured to provide mass andstiffness to dampen end effector vibrations and reduce settling times.In one aspect the housing 104H houses a Y axis drive A6L (e.g. “fastaxis”) configured to move the end effector along the Y axis and a tiltaxis drive A7R configured to rotate the end effector about the tilt axisTX. In other aspects the Y axis drive A6L may be omitted such thatmovement of the end effector along the Y axis is provided by the driveA3L. The Y axis (or longitudinal) drive A6L includes any suitable motorand a linear stage having any suitable mechanical and/or solid stateelectromagnetic (and/or permanent magnet) guides for translating the endeffector 101 along the Y axis. In one aspect the motor is a steppingpiezo motor with picometer positioning resolution while in other aspectsthe motor is any suitable motor having any suitable positioningresolution such as a stepper motor, brushless motor, brushed motor, etc.The drive A6L is configured to provide precision (e.g. fine positioning)and fast motion of the end effector 101 (and the workpiece held thereon)along the Y axis within the processing module after the drive A3L haspositioned (e.g. gross positioning) the end effector within theprocessing module PM. Positioning the workpiece within the processingmodule PM provides maximized throughput when stepping across theworkpiece to take a “column” of images (e.g. a series of images taken atdifferent points along the Y axis of the workpiece) such as during TEMimaging. In this aspect nominal moves between 8 and 24 microns arecompleted with the drive A6L in less than 100 ms, where “completed” isdefined as workpiece motion is settled to less than about 4 nm in about25 to about 35 ms. The aspects of the disclosed embodiment describedherein effect high through-put scanning having an imaging rate greaterthan 2 images/second.

The tilt axis drive A7R is coupled to the drive A6L in any suitablemanner for providing the end effector 101 with multiple degree offreedom movement. In one aspect the tilt axis drive A7R is mounted toany suitable bearing(s), such as linear bearing 265, that allow(s) thedrive A7R to move along the Y axis with the end effector 101 when theend effector is positioned by the drive A6L. In one aspect any suitablepreloaded thrust bearing assembly 267 is provided to substantiallyeliminate axial play of connecting member 260 (described below). Inother aspects, the preloaded thrust bearing is omitted. As may berealized any suitable linear encoder 245 is mounted to or integrallyformed with a housing of the A7R drive for providing position feedbackof the A6L drive. In other aspects the linear encoder 245 (and/or rotaryencoder for drive A7R) is incorporated with the connecting member 260such that one or more scales are disposed on the connecting member atany point between the end effector and the drive A7R. As may be realizedthe encoder 245 includes absolute and/or incremental encoder scales. Inone aspect the absolute encoder is positioned on the connecting member260 between the bearing 310 and the drive A7R while the incrementalencoder is positioned between the bearing 310 and the end effector. Instill other aspects both the absolute and incremental encoders arepositioned between the bearing 310 and end effector or between thebearing 310 and the drive A7R. In still other aspects one of theabsolute and incremental encoders (or a portion thereof) is on a housingof the drive A7R while the other one of the absolute and incrementalencoder is disposed on the connecting member 260. In one aspect thelinear encoder 245 is, for example, an optical encoder, laserinterferometric encoder, capacitive or inductive encoder or any othersuitable encoder (it is noted that in one aspect each of the drives A1L,A2L, A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A8R include an encoder substantiallysimilar to encoder 245). In other aspects, the Y axis drive A6L iscoupled to the tilt axis drive A7R and is mounted with any suitablebearings to allow the drive A6L to rotate with the end effector 101 whenthe end effector is driven by the drive A7R. As noted above, the tiltaxis drive A7R is configured to rotate the end effector 101 and theworkpiece held thereon about the tilt axis TX at any suitable pointduring workpiece handling. For example, the drive A7R rotates the endeffector 101 and the workpiece held thereon while the workpiece iswithin the process module PM to, for example, locate the euccentricpoint in a TEM beam as well as for tomography applications where theworkpiece is tilted at varying angles such that images of the workpieceare taken at each of the varying angles. It is noted that, in oneaspect, the A7R drive also includes any suitable encoder (such as thosedescribed above) for providing position feedback along the tilt axis TX.The drive A6L includes any suitable motor such as a piezo motor, astepper motor, brushless motor, brushed motor, etc.

The end effector 101 is coupled to one or more of the drives A6L, A7R inany suitable manner such as by a connecting or driven member 260 that issupported within the housing 104H in any suitable manner, such as withone or more suitable bearing (see bearing 390) and/or one or moresuitable damper (see dampers 320, 321) as will be described below withrespect to FIGS. 3A-3D. In one aspect the connecting member isconfigured with a predetermined length Y1 and increased mass (e.g. viathe positioning of drive A7R between connecting member and the driveA6L) and the housing 104H is configured to provide a predeterminedstiffness so that the connecting member 260 is supported by one or morebearings 390 (e.g. substantially without dampers) while allowingmovement the end effector 101 to settle within the times describedherein. In other aspects one or more dampers (not shown) are alsopositioned within the housing 104H for settling the movement of the endeffector 101 alone or in combination with the configuration of theconnecting member 260, the configuration of the housing 104H and/or thebearings 390.

Referring now to FIGS. 2C-2F the end effector 101 includes a body 200having any suitable configuration. In one aspect the body 200 is anintegral (e.g. one piece unitary) member having a mounting portion 230and a workpiece interface portion 231 extending from the mountingportion 230. The mounting portion 230 is configured to mount on orotherwise interface with the connecting member 260 in any suitablemanner, such as by insertion of the connecting member 260 into a recess200R of the body and securing the body to the connecting member 260using any suitable chemical or mechanical fastener (which may passthrough aperture 200A). In other aspects, the end effector 101 andconnecting member 260 are configured such that the end effector has a“snap-on” interface with any suitable kinematic alignment features sothat the end effector 101 is installed and/or removed from theconnecting member 260 substantially without tools (e.g. tool-lessinstallation) effecting a quick-change of end effector. The workpieceinterface portion 231 includes a workpiece detecting member 280 and aworkpiece interface member 232. The body 200 includes a slot 250 havinga substantially flat surface 250FS on one side of the slot 250 and adiverging surface on the other side of the slot where the divergingsurface forms a bearing 210 that will be described further below. Theend effector 101 includes a gripper 101G having a gripper flexure 101GFand a gripper workpiece support surface 101GS. In one aspect the gripperworkpiece support surface 101GS is integrally formed with the workpieceinterface member 232. In one aspect the gripper workpiece supportsurface 101GS includes one or more integral workpiece bumpers 211disposed adjacent the gripper workpiece support surface 101GS. Thebumpers 211 have any suitable shape for interfacing with, for example aside edge of the workpiece and to position the workpiece (e.g. throughsubstantial contact between the side edge of the workpiece and thebumpers 211) relative to the workpiece support surface 101GS and grippertongs 101GT of the gripper flexure 100GF. In one aspect the workpieceinterface member 232 also includes recesses on either side of theworkpiece support surface 101GS in which the gripper tongs 101GT restwhen a workpiece is not gripped by the gripper 101G and so that arelaxed state of the flexure is positioned below the workpiece supportsurface 101GS for effecting positive gripper engagement of a workpieceheld by the gripper 101G. In one aspect the gripper flexure 101GFincludes a base 101GFB, one or more flexure tines 101GFT extending awayfrom one side of the base 101GFB and one or more gripper tongs 101GTextending from an another side of the base 101GFB in a directionsubstantially opposite a direction of extension of the flexure tines101GFT. The flexure tines 101GFT are configured to extend into the slot250 for securing the gripper flexure 101GF to the body 200 and biasingthe gripper flexure towards the substantially flat surface 250FS of theslot 250. The one or more gripper tongs 101GT are configured to extendalongside the workpiece support surface 101GS. The workpiece interfacemember 232 includes an aperture 235 through which a lever member or spar201 extends. The lever member 201 is coupled to the base 101GFB of thegripper flexure 100GF such that the lever member 201 extends through theaperture 201 beyond a peripheral surface of the body 200. It is notedthat the gripper flexure 101GF is movable between the substantially flatsurface 250FS of the slot and the bearing 210 for opening and closingthe gripper.

The drive A6L and the drive A3L are configured for simultaneousoperation along the Y axis in opposite directions to actuate the gripper101G of the end effector 101 as will be described below. Movement of thedrives A6L and A3L in opposite directions causes relative movementbetween the end effector 101 and the housing 104H of the second shuttlestage 104S2 (e.g. while maintaining the end effector 101 at apredetermined position) so that the lever member or spar 201 of the endeffector 101 contacts a portion of the housing 104H. The contact betweenthe lever member 201 and the housing 104H effects movement of the levermember 201 so that the lever member 201 causes the gripper flexure101GF, to which the lever member 210 is coupled, to engage a bearing 210of the end effector 101 such that the gripper flexure 101GF flexes tomove the gripper tongs 101GT away from the gripper workpiece supportsurface 101GS in the direction of arrow 220 causing the gripper to openfor picking or placing a workpiece. The gripper is closed insubstantially the opposite way such that the lever member 201 is movedaway from the housing 104H and a biasing force of the gripper flexure101GF causes movement of the gripper tongs 101GT in the direction ofarrow 220 towards the gripper workpiece support surface 101GS forclosing the gripper or to otherwise grip a workpiece.

The workpiece detecting member 280 is mechanically mounted to the body200 adjacent the workpiece gripper 101G for detecting or otherwiseimaging the workpiece before, after and/or during workpiece handling.The mechanical mount between the workpiece detecting member 280 and thebody 200 is a static mount (e.g. the workpiece detecting member 280 isfixed relative to the body 200) or a dynamic mount (e.g. allowingrelative movement, automated or motorized movement or manual movement,between the workpiece detecting member 280 and the body) that providesfor retraction of the workpiece detecting member 280 into, for example,the body 200 or any other suitable portion of the housing 104H. In oneaspect the workpiece detecting member 280 is retracted prior to the endeffector entering the process module PM while in other aspect theworkpiece detecting member 280 is retracted at any suitable time.Referring also to FIGS. 2H and 2I, in one aspect the workpiece detectingmember 280 (shown in a retracted position) includes guide members 1701,1702 that engage rails 1700 so that that the workpiece detecting member280 is movable in the direction of arrow 1710 between deployed andretracted positions. In other aspects, the workpiece detecting member280 (shown in a deployed position) includes a pivot axis 1703 so thatthe workpiece detecting member 280 pivots in the direction of arrow 1711between deployed and retracted positions. As may be realized, theworkpiece positioning unit 104 includes any suitable actuators 1720,1721 for moving the workpiece detecting member 280 in the direction ofarrows 1710, 1711 or in any other suitable manner between the retractedand deployed positions.

In one aspect the workpiece detecting member 280 includes any suitablesensor 281, any suitable lens 282, any suitable lens mount 283 and amirror 284 (such as a transparent prism with a mirrored surface 284M)having any suitable angle for allowing the sensor 281 to detect orotherwise image a workpiece held on the gripper 101G or otherwise nearthe gripper 101G. In one aspect the mirror 284 is configured to fold theoptical path of the workpiece detecting member 280 to obtain a morecompact configuration while in other aspects the workpiece detectingmember 280 may not include a mirror. In one aspect the workpiecedetecting member 280 also includes one or more suitable illuminationmember 285 for providing light of any suitable wavelength orwavelengths, to permit detection of the workpiece by the sensor 281. Aflexible circuit 286 couples the sensor 281 to any suitable controller(such as controller 199 or any intermediate controller, such as aworkpiece detecting member controller 280C that is connected tocontroller 199 and positioned at any suitable location such as onhousing 104H) so that the sensor 281 provides signals to the controllerwhere the controller is configured to perform any suitable imageanalysis on the signals (e.g. such as edge detection, bar code reading,fiducial detection, pseudo stereo location in which sequential imagesare taken from two different positions with parallel optical axes,etc.).

In other aspects the workpiece detecting member 280 is mounted to thehousing 104H (or any other suitable location within the chamber 125Cand/or on the workpiece positioning unit 104), with a static mount or adynamic mount as described above, while providing a field of view inwhich the gripper 101G and any workpiece held by the gripper or adjacentthe gripper can be viewed. It is noted that mounting the workpiecedetecting member 280 to the housing eliminates the flexible circuit 286from the end effector which decreases the movement settling times of theend effector. It is noted that the workpiece detecting member 280(whether mounted to the housing or the end effector) moves as anintegral assembly with the workpiece positioning unit 104.

In one aspect the sensor 281 is a camera or other optical detector whilein other aspects a plurality of detectors, such as single device, 2D and3D arrays (line scan, CCD, etc.) are incorporated to provide highfidelity concurrent data streams over a broad range of electromagneticspectra. While only one sensor 281 is illustrated in the figures (e.g.monocular vision) in other aspects the end effector 101 has one or moresensors 281 and/or one or more sensors are mounted separate from the endeffector in a manner similar to that described above. For example, theend effector has two sensors providing binocular or stereo visionenabling true stereo location (e.g. of the gripper relative to aworkpiece or of a workpiece held by the gripper relative to a workpieceholding station or processing location) ability with a common focalpoint but divergent optical axes. Binocular vision is beneficial forautomatic feature recognition (such as workpiece spatial position,barcode, fiducial, etc.) and end effector/workpiece positioning, andenable a virtual reality mode where the separate images can be viewed bya user on a screen with three dimensional capabilities (e.g. usingglasses or a headset). Multiple sensors 281 are employed to produceimages similar to stereo microscope images. In one aspect the lens 282and lens mount 283 include motorized focus and zoom control. As may berealized, the workpiece detecting member 280 is configured (along withsuitable image processing in the controller 199) to provide one or moreof workpiece presence/absence detection, identification of a workpiece,alignment of the gripper 101G relative to a workpiece at a workpieceholding location, positioning of a workpiece held by the gripperrelative to a workpiece holding location or processing location, imagingof the workpiece for alignment of the workpiece using the pre-alignmentstage 103 or any other suitable identification and/or position relatedinformation pertaining to the workpiece, the gripper and/or any suitableworkpiece holding location.

As may be realized, in one aspect, the vision system includes one ormore sensors CAM1-CAM5 that are mounted off of the end effector and/orhousing for viewing workpiece 400 pick and place locations or any othersuitable location within the automated transport and positioning system100. In one aspect the off end effector sensors CAM1-CAM5 are employedwhere the end effector 101 does not include sensor 281 or where thesensor 281 on the end effector 101 is not used, while in other aspects,the off end effector sensors CAM1-CAM5 are employed in conjunction withthe end effector sensor 281. As noted above, in one aspect informationobtained from the vision system (including the one or more sensorsmounted off of and/or on the end effector) allow for tracking of theworkpieces and specimens thereon through the database DS (which in oneaspect is part of a laboratory information management system LIMS). Forexample, in one aspect one or more sensors CAM1 are mounted to the frame140F in any suitable manner for imaging a transfer of cassettes 102 toand from the magazine 105 by, for example, the cassette shuttle 126. Inanother aspect, one or more sensors CAM2 are mounted to the frame forimaging a transfer of workpieces 400 by the end effector 101 (inaddition to or in lieu of the workpiece detecting member 280 describedabove) to and from a cassette 102 located at the predeterminedpick/place position or workpiece holding station 176. In still anotheraspect one or more sensors CAM3 are mounted to the frame 140F at anysuitable location for viewing picking and placing workpieces to and fromthe pre-aligner stage 103. In one aspect the one or more sensors CAM3are mounted to the pre-aligner stage 103 and/or the cassette shuttle soas to move in the Z direction with the pre-aligner stage 103 while inother aspects the one or more sensors CAM3 are stationary relative tothe frame 140F. In one aspect the one or more sensors CAM4 are mountedwithin the load lock 120 for imaging a magazine 105 and/or cassette 102disposed therein. In one aspect the one or more sensors CAM5 are mountedwithin the process module PM for aligning a workpiece 400 with, forexample, the electron beam of the process module. As may be realized, inone aspect a common camera, such as camera CAM2 is placed and configuredfor viewing picking and placing of workpieces from multiple areas suchas, for example, from the cassette 102 and at the pre-aligner stage 103.In other aspects a common camera is placed and configured for viewingthe gripping of the cassettes by the cassette shuttle 126, the transferof workpieces 400 to and from the cassettes 120 at workpiece holdingstation 176 and the transfer of workpieces 400 to and from thepre-aligner stage 103. The one or more sensors CAM1, CAM2, CAM3, CAM4are substantially similar to sensor 281 described above and in oneaspect, the one or more sensors CAM1, CAM2, CAM3, CAM4 are monocularcameras while in other aspects the one or more sensors CAM1, CAM2, CAM3,CAM4 are stereo cameras. It is noted that the stereo cameras describedherein include two or more lenses with a separate image sensor for filmframe for each lens allowing the camera to simulate human binocularvision for capturing three dimensional images (e.g. stereo photography).In one aspect the controller 199 is configured to determine a range ordistance, based on one or more three dimensional images from the stereocameras, between the grippers described herein (such as the end effector101 and gripper of the cassette shuttle 126) and the workpiece 400 orcassette 102 gripped thereby when picking and placing the workpiece(s)400 and/or cassette(s) 102 to and from respective holding areas (e.g.the magazine 105, cassette 102, pre-aligner 103 or any other suitableworkpiece or cassette holding area). In other aspects, the range ordistance between the between the grippers described herein and theworkpiece 400 or cassette 102 gripped thereby is determined in anysuitable manner.

Referring to FIGS. 2J-2L, the workpiece positioning unit 104 and the endeffector 101 are configured so that the end effector rotates about axisTX (FIG. 2A) and at least a portion of the end effector 101 rotatesabout axis TX2 (FIG. 2J—e.g. the beta tilt axis). In this aspect endeffector 101 is substantially similar to that described above exceptwhere noted. For example, the body 200 is divided into a base portion200M and a tilting portion 200T where the base portion 200M isconfigured to engage the connecting member 260 so that as the connectingmember 260 is rotated by tilt axis drive A7R the end effector 101rotates with the connecting member. The tilt portion 200T is movablymounted to the base portion 200M by any suitable bearing, such asbearing 1200, so that the tilt portion 200T rotates about axis TX2 whichis coincident with a center of rotation CR of the workpiece 400 when theworkpiece 400 is held by the end effector. In one aspect the bearing1200 is integrally formed as a monolithic unit with the base portion200M while in other aspects the bearing 1200 and base portion 200M arejoined in any suitable manner. The bearing 1200 includes an inner race1201C and at least one outer race 1201A, 1201B where any suitable ballbearings 1202 (held within a cage 1202C) are disposed between the innerrace 1201C and each of the outer races 1201A, 1201B. The ball bearings1202 are constructed of any suitable material such as ceramic. As may berealized, the inner race 1201C and the outer race(s) 1201A, 1201B of thebearing 1200 have a suitable arced configuration to provide a goniometermovement where the tilt portion 200T moves in the direction of arrow1210 about axis TX2 by any suitable amount such as, for example, ±10°relative to axis TX. In other aspects the tilt portion is movable in thedirection of arrow 1210 by an amount more or less than ±10°.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2K and 2L at least one of the outer races 1201A,1201B includes a gear rack 1203 configured to engage at least one gear1204 disposed at least partly within one or more of the base member 200Mand the connecting member 260. In one aspect a single gear 1204 isprovided to engage the gear rack 1203 of a single outer race 1201A,1201B. In one aspect the gear 1204 is any suitable gear, such as apinion gear, that is mounted to, or otherwise coupled to, a drive shaft1205 that extends at least partially through the connecting member 260to engage tilt axis drive A15R. The tilt axis drive A15R is disposed atany suitable location within the housing 104H for driving the driveshaft 1205. In one aspect the configuration of the tilt axis drive A15Rand the drive shaft 1205 is substantially similar to the configurationof tilt axis drive A7R and the connecting member 260 such that the tiltaxis drive A15R rotates the drive shaft 1205 about axis TX. As may berealized, the drive shaft 1205 includes any suitable dampers(substantially similar to that described with respect to connectingmember 260) to decrease settling times of the end effector. As may berealized, the gear 1204 is coupled to the drive shaft 1205 so as torotate with the drive shaft 1205. The base member 200M includes anaperture 200MAP through which the gear 1205 and the gear rack 1203engage each other such that as the gear 1205 is rotated the tilt portion200T of the end effector 101 (and the workpiece 400 held thereby)rotates in the direction of arrow 1210 about axis TX2 (e.g. the centerof rotation CR of the workpiece 400).

Referring now to FIGS. 1B and 3A-3E a workpiece positioning unit 304 isprovided, in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherethe workpiece positioning unit 304 is configured to interface with, forexample, a drive/positioning stage or any other suitable unit 181 of,for example, a TEM (or in other aspects a SEM, DB-FIB, STEM or othersuitable electron beam microscopy device) that provides substantiallyall necessary degrees of freedom to position a workpiece within the TEM.A suitable example of a positioning stage 181 of a TEM is theCompuStage™ manufactured by FEI. In this aspect the workpiecepositioning unit 304 includes the axis drive A6L (e.g. “fast axis”)configured to move the end effector along the Y axis for providingincreased move speeds and decreased settle times along the long axis(e.g. in the examples shown herein along the Y axis) of the workpiecepositioning unit compared to the move speeds and settle times providedby the positioning stage 181. As noted above, positioning the workpiecewithin the processing module PM using the drive A6L provides maximizedthroughput when stepping across the workpiece to take a “column” ofimages (e.g. a series of images taken at different points along the Yaxis of the workpiece) such as during TEM imaging.

In one aspect, the positioning unit 304 includes a housing or frame 300,a tube member 310 extending from the housing 300, a connecting member360 extending through the tube member, a linear drive A6L (describedabove) and a drive encoder 330. While the tube member 310 is illustratedas being a cylindrical tube, in other aspects the tube member has anysuitable shape configured to be inserted into a mating aperture of theTEM or other suitable processing module PM. In one aspect the tubemember 310 has a unitary construction while in other aspects the tubemember 310 includes a base member 310B and an extension member 310E thatare coupled to each other in any suitable manner (see FIG. 3D), such asthrough an interference fit, mechanical fasteners or chemical fasteners.The housing 300 forms a chamber 300C in which the drive A6L and encoder330 (which includes a read head 330H and a tape scale unit 330S havingone or more tape scale 330TS, e.g., one absolute and one incrementalwhich is substantially similar to encoder 245) is mounted. The housingand/or tube member includes one or more features that interface with thepositioning stage 181 for locating the end effector relative to the beamof the TEM. For example, the positioning stage 181 includes an aperture181P through which the tube member 310 is inserted. The positioningstage 181 also includes a recess 181T and the housing includes alocating member 300T that is configured to engage the recess 181T. Inone aspect the tube member 360 also includes a tip bearing surface 360TBconfigured to engage a corresponding bearing surface within the aperture181P. The tube member also includes a shoulder 360TS at any suitableposition along the tube member 360 that engages a corresponding shoulderwithin the aperture 181P. One or more of the tube member 360, tipbearing surface 360TB, shoulder 360TS and locating member 300T positionsthe end effector relative to the positioning stage 181 for orienting theend effector in the x, y, Z and pitch axes relative to the beam of theTEM.

In this aspect the drive A6L is coupled to the connecting member 360through the tape scale unit 330S. For example, the tape scale unit 330Sis mounted to the housing 300 through any suitable linear guide members330G so that the one or more tape scale 330TS is linearly movable alongthe Y axis. The tape scale unit 330S includes couplings 301A, 301Bpositioned along the Y axis on opposite sides of the tape scale unit330S such that the drive A6L is coupled to one coupling 301B and theconnecting member 360 is coupled to the other coupling 301A. Theconnecting member 360 extends from the coupling 301A and through thetube member 310 so that the end effector 301 is disposed adjacent orextends past a distal end DE of the tube member 310 relative to thehousing 300 (where the tube member is coupled to the housing at theproximate end of the tube member relative to the housing). Theconnecting member 360 is supported within the tube member 310 in anysuitable manner such as, for example, with any suitable bearings and/ordampers. In one aspect the tube member 310 includes one or more damperaccess ports 370A-370D, 371A-371D for installing or otherwise servicinga respective damper 320, 321. The damper access ports include covers372, 373 configured to seal respective damper access ports 370A-370D,371A-371D to, for example, isolate an interior of the tube member 310from an external environment. In one aspect the dampers 320, 321 areconstructed of any suitable elastomer (or any other suitable material)and are configured to allow the connecting member 360 to move linearlywithin tube member 310 and/or allow the connecting member to spin ortilt (e.g. about the tilt axis TX shown in FIG. 2A) within the tubemember 310. For example, the dampers 372, 373 are in the form of a ballor have any other suitable shape and/or configuration. The dampers 372,373 are placed at any suitable position along the length of the tubemember 310 for dampening vibrations of the connecting member 360 and/orend effector 301 to decrease settling times. For example, the dampersdecrease or substantially eliminate vibrations of the connecting member360 induced by the drive A6L during movement of the endeffector/connecting member. In one aspect the dampers provide for 8-24micron moves of the end effector where substantially all vibrations aredamped or settled to less than about 4 nm to about 5 nm in less than 50ms or in other aspects settled to less than about 4 nm to about 5 nm inless than about 25 ms to about 35 ms. In other aspects the dampersprovide for any suitable length move and any suitable settling times.The connecting member 360 is also supported within the tube member 310adjacent the distal end DE of the tube member 310 by a bearing 390. Thebearing 390 is configured to provide rigid lateral support for theconnecting member 360 within the tube member 310 while minimizing axialfriction when moving the connecting member and end effector. The bearing390 includes a bearing sleeve 390S circumferentially surrounding theconnecting member 360. The sleeve forms one or more separators or cages390R that position any suitable rolling elements 390RE, such as ballbearings, a predetermined distance Y2 from each other. The distance Y2is any suitable distance that provides stiffness to the connectingmember 360 and/or dampen vibration of the connecting member 360 and/orend effector 301 to decrease settling times. The separators 390R areconfigured to circumferentially position the rolling elements 390REcircumferentially around the connecting member 360 as can be seen inFIG. 3B. It is also noted that the inner and outer races of the bearing390 are formed by the connecting member 360 (e.g. the inner race) andthe inner surface of the tube member 310 (e.g. the outer race) such thatthe rolling elements 390RE substantially directly contact the connectingmember 360 and inner wall of the tube member 310. In one aspect a smallinterference fit (e.g. in one aspect about 2 microns and in otheraspects more or less than 2 microns) exists between the rolling elements390RE and the connecting member 360/tube member 310. The rollingelements 390RE are constructed of any suitable material such as, forexample, ceramic, metal, composites, etc.

In one aspect any suitable seals are located within the tube member 310for sealing or otherwise isolating the drive A6L and the chamber 300C ofthe housing 300 from an environment in which the end effector is located(e.g. to isolate the work holding region of the positioning unit fromatmospheric pressure outside the processing module). For example, anysuitable bellows seal 376 is provided at any suitable location withinthe tube member 310 for sealing or otherwise isolating the chamber 300Cso that the pumped volume (e.g. the column within the tube member thatis exposed to a vacuum or other predetermined environment) is minimized.In one aspect the bellows seal 376 is longitudinally (e.g. along thelong axis of the connecting member) located between the dampers 372,373. In another aspect, the tube member 310, as noted above, is formedof individual pieces coupled together such that the bellows seal 376 islocated at or adjacent a union or coupling of the pieces (e.g. such asadjacent the location where the base member 310B is coupled to theextension member 310E to allow for easy installation of the bellows seal376.

The end effector 301 is coupled to the connecting member 360 in anysuitable manner such as, for example, in a manner substantially similarto that described above with respect to end effector 101. In this aspectthe end effector 301 is a manually actuated end effector while in otheraspects the end effector is substantially similar to that describedabove. In this aspect, the end effector includes a body 301B that isconfigured to engage the connecting member 360 (e.g. in a mannersubstantially similar to that described above), a workpiece holdingportion 301H extending from the body and a clamp member 301C. The clampmember 301C is a spring clamp (that is e.g. biased in a closed position)or any other suitable clamp that is manually opened and closed. In otheraspects the clamp member is opened and closed in any suitable manner forgripping a workpiece 400. In other aspects the workpiece detectingmember 280 described above is mounted to the end effector 301 in amanner substantially similar to that described above.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A-4D the workpiece 400 is illustrated. Theworkpiece 400 is any suitable workpiece and is illustrated as a TEM gridspecimen holder for exemplary purposes only. In one aspect the workpieceis substantially similar to that described in U.S. Provisional Patentapplication No. 61/902,470 filed on Nov. 11, 2013 and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/538,332 and filed on Nov. 11, 2014, thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. In one aspect the workpiece 400 has a disc configuration butin other aspects the workpiece has any other suitable shape. In oneaspect, the workpiece 400 has a single one piece construction (e.g. isformed as a monolithic member) while in other aspects, the workpiece hasa multi-piece construction as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/538,332 and filed on Nov. 11, 2014 the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one aspect theworkpiece 400 includes a thin sheet base member BM with a first surface400T and an opposing second surface 400B, the first surface defining aseat and support surface for a specimen holding film held by theworkpiece 400. In one aspect the base member BM is constructed of aberyllium copper alloy while in other aspects the base member isconstructed of any suitable material. In still other aspects the basemember BM is a sub-millimeter thick sheet while in other aspects thebase member BM has any suitable thickness.

The base member BM includes an aperture or slot 401 (which will bedescribed in greater detail below) through the second surface 400Bexposing the holding film held by the sample/specimen holder, andincluding a grip engagement zone GZ defined at least on part of thefirst surface 400T and arranged to accept engagement of the gripper ofthe end effector 101, 301. In one aspect the grip engagement zone GZ ofthe base member BM for the gripper is a 360 degree radial area adjacentor at a peripheral edge of the base member BM. In other aspects, thebase member BM includes a recess 400R on, for example, the secondsurface 400B (e.g. opposite surface 400T) to provide a gripping surfaceso that the workpiece 400 is gripped manually, with automation, or inany other suitable manner. As will be described in greater detail belowat least one of the first or second surface 400T, 400B includes machinereadable structures formed thereon arranged in patterns embodying datathat is a physical representation of a specimen or sample held on arespective workpiece where the physical representation of the specimenor sample, in one aspect, defines at least one predeterminedcharacteristic of the sample holder as will be described in greaterdetail below. As will also be described below, the predeterminedcharacteristic may be a unique identification indicia of the sampleand/or sample holder, with error correction characteristics.

As described above, the workpiece 400 includes a slot 401 in which aspecimen is held. In one aspect the slot 401 may have any suitablepredetermined length L and any suitable width W1, W2, W3 (while threewidths are illustrated in other aspects the workpiece 400 may beprovided with a slot having any suitable width and/or length or anaperture having any suitable geometric shape). In this aspect the slotis an open slot but in other aspects the slot includes a mesh or othersuitable geometry for holding one or more specimens. In still otheraspects the workpiece may not include a slot. In one aspect the cornerof the slot 401C is be rounded to, for example, provide more imagablearea to rectangular specimen samples.

In one aspect, as noted above, the workpiece 400 includes one or moresuitable structures or identifying indicia that define three dimensionaltopography with respect to a reference plane of the at least one firstor second surface 400T, 400B on which the structures are disposed andwherein the structures are formed integral with the at least one firstor second surface 400T, 400B on which the structures are disposed. Inone aspect the structures are disposed symmetrically on at least thefirst or second surface 400T, 400B providing redundant reading locationswhile in other aspects the structures have any suitable arrangementrelative to each other and/or the first or second surface 400T, 400B. Inone aspect the structures are identifiers, such as two dimensionaldatamatrix barcodes 402A, 402B that may be formed on a first surface400T (e.g. from which the specimens are viewed) of the workpiece 400 inany suitable manner and at any suitable locations. In one aspect thebarcodes 402A, 402B are engraved or micro-machined on the surface onopposite sides of the slot 401. In one aspect each barcode may be a onedimensional or two dimensional barcode that includes at least 14 cellsalong a length of the barcode (e.g. for 1-D a barcode) or at least oneside of the barcode (e.g. for a 2-D barcode). For example, in oneaspect, the barcode may be a 14×14 datamatrix that has the capacity toencode 3.6×10¹⁵ unique 10-character alphanumeric serial numbers (which,in one aspect, are used in a manner similar to and/or embody accessionnumbering where the accession numbering corresponds to specimen samplesthat are registered in, for example, data structure DS and/or thelaboratory information management system LIMS such that the accessionnumbering defines an ordered sequence of the workpieces 400 holding thespecimen samples) with error correction to uniquely identify a specimenas described herein in for example the laboratory information managementsystem LIMS or other any suitable database or tracking system. In otheraspects the barcodes 402A, 402B have any suitable size and areconfigured to provide any suitable serial numbers or other informationsuch as alphanumeric serial numbers having more or less than 10characters. The barcodes 402A, 402B are used in conjunction with otheridentifiers on, for example, the cassettes 102 and/or magazines 105, toidentify which magazine and/or cassette the sample is located. Multiplebarcodes 402A, 402B are provided to provide redundancy in the event onebarcode is obscured or damaged and allow the barcodes to be read frommany viewing angles. The structures also define a human readableidentifier 403 on the first or second surface 400T, 400B to allow anoperator to manually read the identifier 403 and to identify (e.g.without a barcode reader) the specimen(s) located on the workpiece 400.In one aspect the identifier 403 may be a 10-character alphanumericserial number (e.g. that matches or otherwise corresponds to the serialnumber(s) of the barcode).

In one aspect the structures define one or more machine readablefiducial 404A-404D relating a specimen position to end effector gripperor holder position. In one aspect the at least one fiducial 404A-404Dincludes more than one unique fiducial, each of which independentlyidentifies the relative position of the specimen to the holder. Thefiducials 404A-404D are also provided in any suitable manner, such as byetching, engraving or micro-machining, on the first surface 400T. Thesefiducials 404A-404D may provide an absolute physical reference betweenthe specimen mounted to the workpiece and the workpiece physicalboundaries (e.g. the edges of the slot 401 and/or the peripheral edge ofthe workpiece). In one aspect the workpiece detecting member 280 (alongwith any suitable image processing performed by, for example, controller199) is configured to read or otherwise detect the fiducials 404A-404Dfor aligning the end effector with the workpiece for picking theworkpiece, aligning the workpiece held by the end effector 101 with aworkpiece holding station for placing the workpiece, for rotating theworkpiece during alignment on the pre-aligner stage 103, for aligningthe workpiece with a beam of the TEM and/or for any other suitablepurpose. As may be realized the barcodes and fiducials provide forautomated, high-throughput machine-based recognition and handling of theworkpieces for substantially unassisted specimen loading, positioning,verification, quality control, and handling for high-throughput andcontrolled environment applications.

In one aspect the structures provide tailored optical properties of thefirst and/or second surface 400T, 400B. For example, in one aspect, thestructures define retro-reflection features providing a predeterminedoptical response. In one aspect any suitable number (such as, e.g.,hundreds, and even thousands) of miniature tuned “corner cube” and/or“cat's eye” retroflecting features are etched, engraved or otherwisemicro-machined into the surface of the workpiece 400 to provide optimaloptical response (contrast, and possibly even wavelength filtering) atthe macro level.

As may also be realized, the slot 401 is suitably positioned away fromthe gripping zone GZ and/or recess 400R so that the gripper of the endeffector 101, 301 does not contact or obstruct the specimen. It is notedthat, in one aspect, the workpiece 400 may not include the recess in thegripping zone GZ of the workpiece 400. It is noted that the slot 401 hasany suitable orientation relative to the recess 400R/gripping zone GZ asillustrated in FIGS. 4C and 4D.

Referring to FIGS. 5A-5I the cassette 102 is illustrated in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment. In this aspect the cassette102 is illustrated as having a rectangular shape cassette frame 102F butin other aspects the cassette 102/cassette frame 102F has any othersuitable shape and/or configuration. The cassette frame 102F includesone or more workpiece 400 holding stations or pockets 500 arranged in agrid such that the pockets are accessible from a first side 102T of thecassette 102. In this aspect the grid includes and 8×8 array of pockets500 for holding 64 individual workpieces 400 but in other aspects thegrid has any suitable number of columns and rows such as for example, an8×16 array for holding 128 individual workpieces. In one aspect thecassette also includes column and row identifiers (e.g. such asalphanumeric characters, barcodes, etc.) on the first side 102T (or atany other suitable location) for allowing operator and/or machineidentification of a location of each pocket 500. For example, thecolumns are identified by a sequential series of numbers 1-8 and therows are identified by a sequential series of letters A-H (or viceversa) however, in other aspects any suitable identifiers may be used.The cassette 102 also includes any suitable machine readable and/orhuman readable indicia for identifying the cassette. For example, thecassette has a longitudinal axis LA1 and a lateral axis LA2 so as todefine lateral sides SL1, SL2 and longitudinal sides SL3, SL4. In oneaspect the first side 102T (from which the workpieces are accessed)includes any suitable number of barcodes 501A and human readable indicia502A (such as serial numbers) which, in one aspect, is substantiallysimilar to those described above with respect to workpiece 400. As maybe realized, in one aspect, other surfaces such as longitudinal surfaceor side SL4 also include similar barcodes 502B and human readableindicia 502B so that the cassette 102 is identified or identifiablewhile located within, for example a magazine 105.

As may be realized, in one aspect, workpieces are arranged or otherwiseplaced within respective pockets 500 of a cassette 102 in an orderedsequence, where the ordered sequence is based on, for example, theidentifying indicia described above. In one aspect the ordered sequencecorresponds to a workpiece or specimen processing order where more thanone workpiece or specimen is processed in a batch of workpieces orspecimens. As may also be realized, in one aspect, the ordered sequenceof workpieces or specimens spans more than one cassette 102 such as whenone or more cassettes 102 are held within a magazine 105 and the batchof specimens or workpieces to be processed includes one or more of thecassettes 102 in the magazine 105 (e.g. the magazine 105 holds one ormore batches where the batches are identified by one or more of aworkpiece identifying indicia and a cassette identifying indicia). Inone aspect, the batches (e.g. the workpieces/specimens and/or cassettesincluded in the batches) are defined in the data structure DS by theworkpiece identifying indicia and/or cassette identifying indicia (e.g.the batch to which a workpiece/specimen belongs is included in theidentifying indicia of a respective workpiece/specimen).

In one aspect, the pockets 500 of the cassette 102 are configured withtapered sides or guide members 500T. In one aspect the sides 500T directthe workpieces 400 into a holding slot 500S. In other aspects thetapered sides or guide members 500T are configured to allow gripperaccess into the holding locations for gripping the workpieces 400 (seeFIG. 5I) and to allow viewing of the workpieces within the slots 500Swith the workpiece detecting member 280. As may be realized, in oneaspect, also referring to FIGS. 5D and 5J the pockets 500 include anysuitable workpiece retaining features or structures 500R that areseparate and distinct from or integral with one or more of the holdingslot 500S and/or sides 500T of the pocket 500. The workpiece retainingfeatures 500R may be configured to substantially prevent the workpiecesfrom falling out of a respective pocket 500 due to, for example,accelerations, gravity or impacts while allowing (e.g. the retainingfeatures 500R do not inhibit) extraction and insertion of the workpiecefrom and to the pocket 500 by the end effector 101, 301. Examples ofworkpiece retaining features 500R include, but are not limited to, griptape, pressure sensitive adhesive, sheet adhesives, dispensed liquidadhesives (that dry or cure to form the retaining features), resilientmembers, electrostatic retention members, clips, or any other suitableretention member(s). As may be realized, the retaining features 500Rretain the workpieces 400 in the pockets 500 up to, for example, severalG's of load in any direction, while allowing the end effector 101 ormanually operated tweezers to be inserted into the pocket for extractingthe workpieces 400 from the respective pockets 500 without any residuebeing left on the workpieces 400. As may also be realized, the workpieceretaining features 500R are configured to maintain a rotationalposition/orientation of the workpiece 400 while the workpiece isdisposed within the pocket 500. For example, if the workpiece isinserted into the pocket with a predetermined rotational orientation(such as after being aligned with any suitable aligner (which in oneaspect is external to the process module PM and/or automated transportand positioning system 100) that rotational orientation is maintainedwithin the process module PM and/or automated transport and positioningsystem 100 so that the alignment of the workpiece 400 with thepre-aligner 103 may be skipped resulting in increased throughput in theprocess module PM. In other aspects, where the workpiece 400 is alignedwith the pre-aligner 103 that rotational orientation is maintainedwithin the pocket 500 by the workpiece retaining features 500R duringtransport of the workpiece within the cassette 102. In one aspect theworkpiece retaining features 500R are high-vacuum compatible where ahigh vacuum is, for example, 10⁻⁵ Torr or below. As may be realized, thecassette 102 may include any suitable kinematic locating features on oneor more surfaces of the cassette 102 to allow relative positioning (e.g.alignment) between the pockets 500 (and workpieces therein) and thegripper of the end effector 101. For example, the first surface or side102T includes one or more kinematic recesses 510 (or other suitablefeatures) and a second surface or side 102B includes one or morerecesses 511 (e.g. located at or adjacent one or more of thelongitudinal sides SL3, SL4) that interface with the gripper 126G of thecassette shuttle 126 (FIG. 1D) for automated picking and placing thecassette 102 from and to the magazine 105. In one aspect the cassette102 also includes recesses 515 on, for example, the lateral sides SL1,SL2 for allowing manual removal and insertion of the cassette 102 fromand to the magazine 105. In other aspects the gripping features 515,510, 511 are located at any suitable location of the cassette 102. Inone aspect the lateral sides SL1, SL2 of the cassette 102 are alsoconfigured in any suitable manner to interface with the magazine 105, aswill be described below, so that the cassette is inserted into themagazine 105 in a predetermined orientation. In one aspect, the lateralsides SL1, SL2 are tapered for engaging tapered surfaces 600T of themagazine 105 (FIG. 6A-6E) so that the cassette can only be inserted intothe magazine 105 in a single orientation. In other aspects the cassette102 engages the cover 590 (described below) where the cover 590 in turnengages the magazine such that both the cover and cassette have a nested“poka-yoke” or position determining features that provide for theinsertion of the cassette/cover assembly into the magazine in thepredetermined orientation. In one aspect a recess 520 is located on thesecond side 102B of the cassette 102 and includes any suitable wirelessidentification, such as RFID chips or other wireless identification,transponder, or telemetry unit. In other aspects the wirelessidentification is attached to the cassette at any suitable location andin any suitable manner.

Referring also to FIGS. 5H and 5G the cassette 102, in one aspect,includes a detachable cover 590 for securing or otherwise retaining theworkpieces 400 inside the pockets 500 during, for example, transportand/or storage of the cassette 102. The cover 590 has a longitudinalaxis LA3 and a lateral axis LA4 so as to define longitudinal sides 592,593 and lateral sides 594, 595. At least one longitudinal side 593 ofthe cover 590 may be open to allow the cover 590 to slide over thecassette 102. For example, side 593 of cover is slid over the cassette102 by moving the cover 590 from longitudinal side SL3 of the cassette102 towards longitudinal side SL4 of the cassette as can be seen in FIG.5G so that retaining surface 591 of the cover 590 is disposed adjacentto and spans the first side 102T of the cassette 102 for retaining theworkpieces in their respective pockets 500. As may be realized thelateral sides 594, 595 of the cover extend or wrap around lateral sidesSL1, SL2 of the cassette 102 (e.g. following the angle of the lateralsides SL1, SL2, for orienting the cassette in the magazine) so thatextension members 594M1, 594M2, 595M1, 595M2 extend over a portion ofthe second surface 102B to substantially prevent separation of the cover590 from the cassette 102. At least one extension member 594M1, 594M2,595M1, 595M2 include resilient members SPR1, SPR2 that are configured toengage protuberances 537 disposed on the second side 102B of thecassette to substantially prevent relative longitudinal motion betweenthe cassette 102 and the cover 590 and so that the cassette 102 isretained within the cover 590. It is noted that the retention force ofthe resilient member SPR1, SPR2 is such that it holds the cassettewithin the cover while allowing the cassette shuttle 126 to remove andinsert the cassette 102 from the cover 590 and hence the magazine 105 asdescribed herein. The cover 590 also includes a locking member 597 atone of the longitudinal sides 592 for holding the cassette 102 and cover590 assembly within the magazine 105 and to retain the cover 590 withinthe magazine 105 when the cassette shuttle 126 removes the cassette 102from the magazine 105.

Referring to FIGS. 6A-6F a magazine 105 is illustrated in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment. The magazine 105, togetherwith one or more cassettes 102 forms a workpiece 400 storage system thatis configured for manual or automated transfer of workpieces 400 to andfrom the pockets 500 of the cassettes 102 as described herein. Themagazine 105 is configured to store at least one cassette 102, such asfor example, 8 cassettes to allow for a workpiece holding capacity of1,024 workpieces in a magazine where the cassette includes an 8×16 arrayof pockets. In other aspects the magazine holds more or less than 8cassettes and has any suitable workpiece holding capacity in combinationwith the cassette(s). The magazine 105 includes a frame 601 thatcontains and supports the cassettes 102 as a unitary assembly. In oneaspect the frame forms a cavity configured to be sealed with a door orcover and into which the cassettes are inserted for storage in anysuitable environment of the cavity (such as for example, a vacuumenvironment, atmospheric environment, etc.). In other aspects the framemay not have a sealable cavity. The frame 601 includes any suitablekinematic features 610-612 (and/or automated handling features AFpositioned in a known relationship with the kinematic features 610-612)that interface with corresponding kinematic features of the transportshuttle 120MS, as described above, for locating the magazine relative tothe transport shuttle 120MS and/or for the automated loading of themagazine into, for example, the chamber 120C using any suitableautomated magazine transport. In one aspect the kinematic features arepins and recesses but in other aspects the kinematic features are anysuitable locating features. In one aspect the kinematic features 610-612are also configured so that the magazine 105, when loaded on thetransport shuttle 120MS has only a single predetermined orientation. Inone aspect the frame 601 includes any suitable identifying indicia 620,that is/are substantially similar to the barcodes, human readableindicia, RFID, transponder and telemetry devices describe above, for themanual or automated identification of the magazine 105.

As described above, the magazine 105 includes one or more cassetteholding stations 600. Each cassette holding station 600 includes sides600T that conform to the cross section of the cassette and coverassembly so that the cassette and cover assembly can be inserted intothe magazine 105 in only a single predetermined orientation. As alsonoted above, the cover 590 of each cassette 102 includes a lockingmember 597 that engages a corresponding locking feature of the magazine105 for retaining the cover 590 (and the cassette 102) within themagazine 105. For exemplary purposes only, the frame 601 forms a track670 into which a retaining or latch plate 604 is inserted. The track 670is positioned on the frame 601 so that the longitudinal side 592 of thecover is positioned adjacent the track when the cover and cassetteassembly is inserted into a respective cassette holding station 600. Thetrack 670 includes one or more bearing surface 601LS and opposingretaining members 671. The one or more bearing surface 601LS and therespective retaining members 671 are spaced apart so that the retainingplate 604 can be inserted between the one or more bearing surface 601LSand the respective retaining members 671. The retaining plate 604includes a handle 604H configured to allow sliding manipulation of theretaining plate 604 for insertion and removal of the retaining plate toand from the track 670. The retaining plate 604 also includes lockingmembers 604L that engage the locking members 597 of the covers 590 whenthe retaining plate 604 is inserted into the track 670. For example, theretaining plate 604 is slid or otherwise inserted in the direction ofarrow 699 into the track 670 between the one or more bearing surface601LS and the respective retaining members 671. The locking members 601Lof the retaining plate 604 face the direction of insertion 699 while thelocking members 597 of the covers 590 face a direction opposite thedirection of insertion 699 so that when the retaining plate 604 is fullyinserted into the track (as will be described below) the locking members597 substantially simultaneously engage the opposing locking members601L.

In one aspect the retaining plate 604 includes one or more resilientmember 680 and the frame 601 includes one or more detents 681 and cammembers 682. The resilient member 680 is configured to engage the cammember 682 when moving in the direction of arrow 699 (e.g. duringinsertion of the retaining plate in the track) so that the resilientmember 680 passes over the cam 682 to engage the detent 681 formaintaining the retaining plate 604 in a closed state (e.g. the coversare securely held by the retaining plate) when the resilient member 680is engaged with the detent 681. The resilient member is biased towardsthe bearing surface 601LS so that the resilient member 680 engages thedetent 681 substantially preventing removal of the retaining plate 604from the track 670. The retaining plate 604 includes a slot or channel683 into which a release tool (not shown) is inserted to lift theresilient member 680 over the detent 681 and cam member 682 allowingpassage of the resilient member 680 over the detent 681 and cam member682 for removing the retaining plate 604 from the track 670 and/orreleasing of the covers 590 from the frame magazine 105. In one aspectthe frame 601 also includes another detent 681′ and cam 682′ and theretaining plate 604 includes another resilient member 680′ configured tosubstantially prevent the retaining plate 604 from moving more than onecassette pitch P when, for example, the resilient member 680 and thedetent 681 are disengaged. As may be realized, the retaining plate 604includes a slot or channel 683′, similar to slot or channel 683, intowhich the release tool (not shown) may be inserted to lift the resilientmember 680′ over the detent 681′ and cam member 682′ allowing passage ofthe resilient member 680′ over the detent 681′ and cam member 682′ forremoving the retaining plate 604 where the retaining plate 604 iscompletely removed from the track 670.

The covers 590, cassettes 102 and magazines 105 are constructed of anysuitable materials. In one aspect the covers 590, cassettes 102 andmagazines 105 are constructed from a vacuum environment compatiblematerial for use in vacuum environments. In other aspects the covers590, cassettes 102 and magazines 105 are configured for use in anysuitable environment.

Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 7A-7F an exemplary operation of theautomated transport and positioning system 100 will be described inaccordance with an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. The chamber 125Cis pumped to a pressure substantially equal to a pressure of the processmodule PM and a magazine 105 holding one or more cassettes 102 isinserted into the sealable chamber 120C of the load lock 120 (FIG. 8,Block 800). For example, the door 120D is opened, and the magazine 105is kinematically placed on the transport shuttle 120MS in any suitablemanner, such as manually or with any suitable transport automation. Thedoor 120D is closed to seal or otherwise isolate the sealable chamber120C. The load lock is pumped to a pressure compatible with orsubstantially equal to the pressure within the chamber 125C and thetransport shuttle 120MS is moved to align a predetermined cassette 102Aover the valve V2G (FIG. 8, Block 805). The valve V2G is opened so thatthe interior of the chamber 120C is in communication with the interiorof the chamber 125C (FIG. 8, Block 810). The cassette shuttle 126 movesin the direction of arrow 700 to kinematically engage the predeterminedcassette 102A (FIG. 8, Block 815). The cassette shuttle 126 moves in thedirection of arrow 701 to remove the cassette 102A from the magazine 105(and its respective cover 590) such that a predetermined workpiece islocated within a range of motion of the workpiece positioning unit 104(FIG. 8, Block 820). As may be realized, in one aspect, the positioningof the cassette 102A (and the workpieces therein) relative to theworkpiece positioning unit 104 corresponds to a predetermined batchworkpiece processing sequence (defined by or in the data structureDS—see FIG. 1A(1A-1, 1A-2)) of the batch of workpieces held on one ormore cassettes 102 of the magazine 105 held on the magazine shuttle120MS. The valve V2G is closed (FIG. 8, Block 825).

The workpiece positioning unit 104 moves in one or more of thedirections 703, 704, 705 (e.g. X, Y and tilt) for positioning the endeffector 101 to pick a workpiece 400 from the cassette 102 (FIG. 8,Block 830) and picks the workpiece from the cassette 102 (FIG. 8, Block835). The cassette shuttle 126 moves further in the direction of arrow701 to move the cassette to a buffered position (FIG. 8, Block 840) andthe workpiece positioning unit 104 moves in one or more of thedirections 702, 704, 705 to place the workpiece on the pre-aligner stage103 for aligning the workpiece to a predetermined orientation (FIG. 8,Block 845). As may be realized, in one aspect, data obtained by thepre-aligner stage 103 regarding the alignment of the workpiece 400 iscommunicated to the controller 199 in any suitable manner for inclusionin the data structure DS. In one aspect the pre-aligner stage 103 isretracted in the direction of arrow 701 such as when the pre-alignerstage is movably mounted to the frame 140F independent of the cassetteshuttle 126 (FIG. 8, Block 850). In other aspects where the pre-alignerstage 103 is mounted to the cassette shuttle 126 (so that thepre-aligner stage and cassette shuttle move as a unit) the cassetteshuttle may be retracted after alignment of the workpiece. In stillother aspects the pre-aligner stage 103 is stationary along the Z axisand may not be retracted (e.g. the pre-aligner stage is positioned toallow workpiece positioning unit 104 access to the process module PM).The valve V1G is opened to allow access to the process module throughport 125P (FIG. 8, Block 855).

The workpiece positioning unit 104 moves in one or more of thedirections 703, 704, 705 (e.g. X, Y and tilt) for positioning theworkpiece 400 within the process module PM for processing (FIG. 6, Block860) while, in one aspect, being held by the end effector 101 or, inother aspects, on a positioning stage PS of the processing module PM.For example, where the workpiece 400 is processed on and positioned by(e.g. during processing) the positioning stage PS, the workpiecepositioning unit 104 places the workpiece 400 on the positioning stagePS so that the positioning stage PS positions the workpiece within theprocessing module PM for processing. In one aspect, workpiece processinginstructions are communicated to the process module (and/or an operatorof the process module) by the controller 199 from the data structure DSto effect movement of the workpiece within the process module (either,in one aspect, through movement of the end effector on which theworkpiece is located or, in another aspect, through movement of thepositioning stage PS on which the workpiece is located) and theprocessing of the workpiece 400 by the process module PM. As may berealized, the automated transport and positioning system 100 and inparticular the workpiece positioning unit 104 has a workpiece/specimenpicking position, outside of and sharing a common atmosphere with theobjective lens chamber 8CH (described above) and the drive section ofthe automated transport and positioning system 100 effects movement ofthe end effector from the picking position (e.g. workpiece holdingstation 176) to, for example, the tomography inspection position (e.g.processing location 177) with multiple independent degree of freedomtomography inspection positioning of the specimen in one move.

In one aspect, processing data obtained during the processing of theworkpiece 400 is communicated by the processing module PM to thecontroller for inclusion in the data structure DS. The workpiecepositioning unit 104 retracts from the process module PM and the valveV1G is closed (FIG. 7F). The cassette shuttle 126 moves in the directionof arrow 701A to position cassette 102 so that the workpiece positioningunit 104 returns the workpiece 400 to the pocket 500 in the cassette 102from which the workpiece was taken (FIG. 8, Block 865). As may berealized, in one aspect additional workpieces held by the cassette 102are processed, such as in the predetermined batch workpiece processingsequence, before the cassette 102 is returned to the magazine 105. Thevalve V2G is opened and the cassette shuttle 126 returns the cassette102 to the magazine 105, the valve V2G is closed and the transportshuttle 120MS moves to a predetermined position for removal of themagazine from the chamber 120C (FIG. 8, Block 870). In other aspects thetransport shuttle 120MS aligns a different cassette 102 with the valveV2G for processing of another workpiece (or multiple workpieces, e.g. abatch of workpieces held by the different cassette) and/or forcontinuing the processing of a batch of workpieces that is defined inmore than one cassette 102.

Referring to FIG. 9, as noted above, the controller 199 includes a datastructure DS that effects tracking and analysis of specimens located onone or more workpieces. In one aspect, workpieces 400A-400 n arearranged or otherwise placed within respective pockets 500 of a cassette102AA in a predetermined ordered sequence, where the ordered sequencecorresponds to, for example, one or more of a predetermined arrangementof an array of workpieces 400 in the array of pockets 500, a structureSTR of a specimen/structure 1070 the samples 1070S1-1070Sn on theworkpieces were taken from or any other suitable criteria. In oneaspect, the predetermined ordered sequence of workpieces (and hence apredetermined ordered sequence of specimens located on the workpieces)is defined coincident with loading of each workpiece in an array ofworkpieces in a cassette 102. As can be seen in FIG. 7B, the structureor specimen 1070 is divided into samples 1070A-1070 n where thosesamples 1070A-1070 n are placed on respective workpieces 400A-400 n.Those workpieces 400A-400 n are placed in one or more cassettes 102AA ina predetermined ordered sequence that embodies, e.g. the structure ofthe specimen 1070. As may also be realized, in one aspect, the orderedsequence of samples 1070S1-1070Sn or workpieces 400A-400 n (e.g. a batchof samples) spans more than one cassette 102AA-102CC such as when one ormore cassettes 102 are held within a magazine 105AA and the batch ofsamples 1070A-1070 n or workpieces 400A-400 n to be processed includesone or more of the cassettes 102AA-102CC in the magazine 105AA (e.g. themagazine 105AA holds one or more batches where the batches areidentified by one or more of a workpiece identifying indicia and acassette identifying indicia and correspond to, for example, a commonstructure or specimen). In another aspect the batch of samples includingthe ordered sequence of samples 1070A-1070 n spans multiple magazines105AA-105BB. In one aspect, the batch(es) (e.g. the workpieces/samplesand/or cassettes included in the batches) are defined in a datastructure DS (as described in greater detail below) by the workpieceidentifying indicia and/or cassette identifying indicia (e.g. the batchto which a workpiece/sample belongs is included in the identifyingindicia of a respective workpiece/sample). In one aspect the datastructure is resident or embodied in a memory 199M of the controller 199(for inclusion in, for example, the laboratory information managementsystem LIMS) and is implemented as any suitable database such as, forexample, an XML database, a relational database, an object-relationaldatabase, or any other database or data structure suitable for storinginformation as described herein.

In one aspect, the controller 199 includes a neural network and/or astate machine that are configured to create and maintain the datastructure DS while in other aspects the controller includes any suitableprocessing/processor configured to create and maintain the datastructure DS. In one aspect the neural network and/or state machineis/are configured to control operations and a process flow of theautomated transport and positioning system 100 (e.g. such as routing ofautomated transports, which workpieces are delivered to which processmodules and in which order, etc.) based on information in the datastructure DS. The data structure, as described herein, includes dataregarding where the workpieces 400 have been throughout, for example, alaboratory or other facility from the time the samples are placed onworkpieces to obtaining final results of analysis of the samples as wellas detailed data regarding the processes performed on the samples. Inone aspect the controller 199 includes a user interface UI configured toallow a user to view the results of the analysis or any other datawithin the data structure DS including a location of a sample within thelaboratory or other facility.

In one aspect the data structure DS includes information pertaining to abatch of workpieces/specimens that are processed through the automatedtransport and positioning system 100, process module PM or any othersuitable laboratory equipment configured to store, transport and/oranalyze the workpiece/specimen. As may be realized, any suitablestructure or specimen (e.g. source material), such as a biologicalstructure, metallurgical structure, semiconductor structure, etc.) isdivided into samples in any suitable manner where each sample is mountedto a respective workpiece 400 in any suitable manner. As each sample isassociated with a workpiece 400 (e.g. a sample is mounted to theworkpiece), as each workpiece is associated with a cassette 102, as eachcassette is associated with a magazine 105 and at each processing stepof the workpiece 400 the data structure DS is updated so that the datastructure DS associates one or more predeterminedcharacteristic/physical attribute of the sample with the uniqueidentifier of the workpiece 400. As may be realized, the data structureDS also associates samples taken from a common structure with each otherso that the individual samples (which are associated with theworkpieces) are tracked and analyzed as whole so that an automaticdetermination of a characteristic of the structure is made with respectto the structure as whole. As may be realized, the vision system(including the sensors described herein) identify the workpieces 400,cassettes 102 and magazines 105 throughout processing so that theprocessing steps and other information gathered is associated with thecorresponding workpiece (and specimen thereon) in the data structure DS(and in the laboratory information management system LIMS) as describedin, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/538,327 and filedon Nov. 11, 2014, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/538,332 andfiled on Nov. 11, 2014 the disclosures of which are previouslyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Referring also to FIG. 1, as may be realized, the movement of theworkpieces 400 (and specimen samples thereon) throughout the workpieceprocessing system or facility 100PS is effected by one or more driveaxes of one or more transports, such as the drive axes (e.g. drives ormotors) A1L, A2L, A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A8R, A15R of the automatedtransport and positioning system 100 described above. Each of the driveaxes A1L, A2L, A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A8R, A15R provides data to thecontroller 199 regarding the position of the workpieces 400 (and thespecimen samples thereon) to effect updating the status (e.g. locationstatus, processing status, sequence status within a batch of workpieces,orientation status, etc.) of the workpiece in the data structure DSand/or laboratory information management system LIMS (which in oneaspect includes the data structure DS). For example, the magazine 105 isplaced within the load lock 120 in any suitable manner (such as by anautomated transport or manually) and any suitable scanner, such asscanner CAM4 reads the identifying indicia of the magazine 105 (FIG. 10,Block 2000) and sends suitable signals to the controller 199 forupdating a status of the workpieces 400 disposed within the magazine 105as being located within the load lock 120 (FIG. 10, Block 2005). Thedrive axis A1L moves the magazine 105 to align a cassette 102 within themagazine 105 with, for example, the port 120P (FIG. 10, Block 2010). Inone aspect, the drive axis A1L sends suitable encoder or other positiondata to the controller 199 indicating that a predetermined cassette 102is aligned with the port 120P where the controller 199 updates a status(e.g. within the data structure DS) of the workpieces 400 in thepredetermined cassette 102 as being, for example, positioned for loadinginto the sealable chamber 125C (FIG. 10, Block 2015). In one aspect, anysuitable scanner such as scanner CAM1 reads identifying indicia of thecassette and sends suitable identification data to the controller 199for updating a status of the workpieces within the cassette. As may berealized, in one aspect, the data sent to the controller 199 by thedrive axes A1L, A2L, A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A8R, A15R (and/or the datasent by the sensors CAM1-CAM5) to effect updating the data structure DSis also entered into the laboratory information management system LIMSin any suitable manner (e.g. the controller and data structure are inone aspect incorporated into the laboratory information managementsystem LIMS or connected to the laboratory information management systemLIMS in any suitable manner such as through a wired or wirelessconnection).

The drive axis A2L moves the cassette shuttle 126 to pick/place thepredetermined cassette 102 from the magazine 105 through the port 120P(FIG. 10, Block 2020). The drive axis A2L (and a drive axis of a gripperof the cassette shuttle) sends suitable encoder or other position datato the controller 199 (e.g. to update a status of the workpiece(s) inthe data structure DS) indicating that the predetermined cassette 102(and the workpieces located therein) are gripped by the cassette shuttle126 and are positioned in the Z direction at a predetermined position sothat one or more workpieces 400 can be removed from the cassette 102(FIG. 10, Block 2025). In one aspect one or more sensors, such as sensorCAM2 and/or sensor 281 on the end effector 101 verify the position ofand/or effect identification of (e.g. for tracking the processing of oneor more workpieces) the cassette 102/workpieces 400 and/or, as will bedescribed below, effect automatic positioning of the end effector andautomatic capture of the workpiece by the end effector. One or more ofthe drive axes A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A15R effect movement of the endeffector 101 for picking/placing a workpiece 400 from the cassette 102(FIG. 10, Block 2030). In a manner similar to that described above, theend effector 101 is positioned to pick/place a predetermined workpiecefrom a pocket 500 of the cassette 102 such that any suitable encoder orother position data is sent to the controller 199 (e.g. for updating thedata structure DS) by one or more of the drive axes A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L,A7R indicating that the predetermined workpiece 400 is picked/placedfrom/to the cassette and a position of the predetermined workpiece 400in, for example, one or more of the X, Y and Z directions (FIG. 10,Block 2035). As noted above, in one aspect, the end effector sensor 281and/or off end effector sensor CAM2 verifies at least the pick/place ofthe predetermined workpiece 400 relative to the cassette 102. In oneaspect the sensor 281 or sensor CAM2 identifies the workpiece beingpicked for updating process information for the workpiece in the datastructure DS. In one aspect, the controller 199 associates electronmicroscopy data of the workpieces 400 (and the specimens thereon) withidentifying indicia of the workpiece 400. In one aspect the identifyingindicia of each workpiece 400 is related to a predeterminedgrid/workpiece batch scanning sequence of specimens effected by theprocess module PM where the workpieces are arranged in an array ofworkpieces in a cassette 102. IN one aspect the predeterminedgrid/workpiece batch scanning sequence is automatically determined witha loading of the cassette 102 (e.g. a sequence of workpiece processing)and/or magazine 105 (e.g. a sequence of cassette processing and asequence of workpiece processing in each cassette) in the automatedtransport and positioning system 100. In one aspect the identifyingindicia of the workpiece 400 is representative of a source materialconfiguration (see FIG. 9) from which the specimens on a batch ofworkpieces are made.

In one aspect, the sensor 281 on the end effector 101 and/or the off endeffector sensor(s) CAM1-CAM5 provides the controller 199 relativeposition data between the end effector 101 and a predetermined target(e.g. such as the workpiece 400 to be gripped, a workpiece holdinglocation such as a pocket 500 of the cassette 102 and/or pre-alignerstage 103, a position of the end effector 101/workpiece within theprocess module PM, etc.) The controller 199 is configured to directmovement of the end effector 101 (e.g. as described herein) based on therelative positioning data such as by making a relative positiondetermination between the end effector 101 and the target so that theend effector is automatically moved/positioned (e.g. changing a relativeposition between the end effector and target) to effect an automaticcapture/release of, for example, the workpiece 400 with the end effector101 and/or automatic placement of the workpiece 400 at a predeterminedposition with the end effector 101. As may be realized, the relativeposition data, in one aspect, effects changing a status (e.g. processand/or positional status) of a workpiece 400 in the data structure DS.For example, the one or more of the sensor(s) 281, CAM1-CAM5 views thepocket 500 of the cassette 102 holding the predetermined workpiece 400as well as the end effector 101. The controller 199 makes adetermination as to the relative position between the workpiece 400and/or pocket 500 and the end effector and based on the relativeposition the controller 199 sends suitable control commands to the driveaxes A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A15R to effect movement of the endeffector for picking/placing the predetermined workpiece from/to thecassette 102. As may be realized, in one aspect the relative positiondetermination between the end effector and the workpiece, workpieceholding location or process location effects movement of the endeffector as described herein while in other aspects movement of the endeffector is effected in any suitable manner such as through drive axisencoder data.

Once the predetermined workpiece 400 is removed from the cassette 102,as described above, the workpiece is, in one aspect, placed on thepre-aligner stage 130 by the end effector 101 in a manner similar tothat described above (FIG. 10, Block 2040). Here the drive axes driveaxes A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A15R sends suitable encoder or otherposition data to the controller 199 indicating that the predeterminedworkpiece is placed on the pre-aligner stage 103 so that a status of theworkpiece is updated in the data structure DS (FIG. 10, Block 2045). Thedrive axis A8R of the pre-aligner effects alignment of the workpiece 400(FIG. 10, Block 2050) and sends suitable encoder or other position datato the controller 199 indicating that the predetermined workpiece isoriented in a predetermined process orientation and the status of theworkpiece 400 is updated in the data structure DS (FIG. 10, Block 2055).As may be realized, the vision system(s), such as sensors 281 and/orCAM1-CAM5, in one aspect, verify the position of (and/or identify) theworkpiece 400 and/or provide position data (in lieu of or in addition tothe drive axis data) to the controller for updating the status of theworkpiece in the data structure DS. The controller 199 commands thedrive axes A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A15R to effect picking the workpiece400 from the pre-aligner stage (FIG. 10, Block 2060) and the status ofthe workpiece is updated, based on data provided by the drive axesand/or vision system (FIG. 10, Block 2065).

The controller 199 commands the drive axis A2L of the cassette shuttle126 to move the cassette 102 in the Z direction so that the workpiecepositioning unit 104 has access to the process module PM. The controller199 commands the opening of port 125P and commands the drive axes A3L,A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A15R to effect automatic positioning of the endeffector 101 within the process module PM so that the workpiece held onthe end effector is positioned in a predetermined process positionwithin the process module PM (FIG. 10, Block 2070). In a manner similarto that described above, the drive axes A3L, A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A15Rand/or vision system (such as sensors 281 and/or CAM1-CAM5) sendsuitable encoder or other position data to the controller 199 indicatingthat the predetermined workpiece 400 is located at a predeterminedlocation in the process module PM so that a status of the workpiece isupdated in the data structure DS (FIG. 10, Block 2075).

In one aspect, the movement of the workpiece 400 with the workpiecepositioning unit 104 within the process module is effected automaticallywith relative position data in a manner similar to that described aboveand/or with data received in the controller 199 from the drive axes A3L,A4L, A5L, A6L, A7R, A15R. As may be realized, the workpiece is movedwithin the process module during processing in any suitable manner toeffect imaging of the specimen sample on the workpiece (FIG. 10, Block2080) where the status of the workpiece is updated within the datastructure DS based on the movement (FIG. 10, Block 2085). In one aspect,the status of the workpiece (e.g. the position and imaging status) issubstantially continuously updated during processing. In one aspect, thesensor 281 and/or sensor CAM5 verifies a position of (and/or identifies)the workpiece 400 in the processing chamber for updating a status of theworkpiece 400 in the data structure DS. After processing thepredetermined workpiece is transferred back to the cassette 102 so thatother workpieces in the cassette are processed (FIG. 10, Block 2090).The cassette is returned to the magazine and the magazine is removedfrom the load port 120. As may be realized at each step in theprocessing of the workpiece (including removal of the workpiece 400,cassette 102 and magazine 105 from the automated transport andpositioning system 100 and subsequent storage or removal of theworkpiece from a respective cassette) the status of one or moreworkpieces in the data structure DS is updated in the manner describedherein.

In one aspect the data structure DS provides a series of, for example,data points (formed from the process/analysis data obtained duringsample analysis as described above) related to the sequenced order of abatch of samples for a common structure 1070. The controller 199 is, inone aspect, configured to provide an automated determination of acharacteristic (e.g. a chemical makeup, a physical makeup, a status orhealth of biological tissue, a structural integrity of the structure,etc.) of the structure 1070 by analyzing the data points of each sampleand providing a conclusion of the overall results for the analysis ofthe structure 1070 associated with the sequenced order of the batch ofsamples. As may be realized, the tracking of the samples of thestructure 1070, with the data structure DS, from the creation of thesamples and placement of the samples on a respective workpiece 400 tothe conclusion of overall results for the structure (e.g. comprised ofthe samples) maintains the integrity of the overall structure 1070during the automated analysis of each sample of the structure 1070.

Referring to FIGS. 1D, 1E, 1H, 6A-6E and 11 in one aspect, the automatedtransport and positioning system 100 is part of or integrated inworkpiece processing system 100PS. The workpiece processing system is,in one aspect, located within any suitable facility or enclosure 73 thathas for example walls 73A, 73B, 73C, 73D connected to each other by afloor 74 and a ceiling/roof (not shown). An access door AD is providedfor the enclosure 73 to allow operator access into the enclosure 73 forany suitable reasons. The workpiece processing system or facility 100PSincludes, for exemplary purposes only, one or more sample preparationmodules 1000, one or more workpiece sequencer modules 1099, one or moreautomated magazine loaders 1002, one or more automated transport andpositioning systems 100 (and the respective processing modules PM), oneor more storage modules 1069 and one or more automated transports 1001all of which are, in one aspect connected to the controller 199 in anysuitable manner (e.g. such as through a wired or wireless connection).In one aspect the one or more automated transports 1001 form frontloading automation that loads/removes workpieces 400 and/or cassettes102 to/from one or more workpiece sequencer modules 1099, loads/removescassettes and/or magazines 105 to one or more automated magazine loaders1002 and loads/removes magazines 105 to/from one or more automatedtransport and positioning systems 100 as described in, for example, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/538,327 and filed on Nov. 11, 2014, andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/538,332 and filed on Nov. 11, 2014the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The one or more automated transports 1001 include magazine transportunits 1001A and cassette transport units 1001B that are configured totravel along a common set of tracks 1001T. In other aspects, there is aset of tracks for the magazine transport units 1001A that are separateand distinct from a set of tracks for the cassette transport units1001B. In one aspect the magazine transport units 1001A include anysuitable gripper 1001AG for gripping the automated handling features AFof the magazines 105 (see e.g. FIGS. 4A-4E) and transporting themagazines 105 (with or without cassettes 102 located therein) betweenthe automated magazine loaders 1002, the automated transport andpositioning systems 100 and the storage modules 1069 where kinematicfeatures 610-612 of the magazine locate the magazine 105 in theautomated transport and positioning systems 100 and the storage modules1069. In one aspect, the automated transport shuttle 120MS of theautomated transport and positioning system 100 has an overhead transportinterface position that, for example, aligns the automated transportshuttle 120MS with the door 120D disposed on a top of the chamber 125C.As noted above, the automated transport shuttle includes kinematicfeatures KFF (FIG. 1D) that interface with kinematic features 610-612 ofthe magazine 105 for kinematically locating the magazine 105 relative tothe automated transport shuttle 120MS. As also described above, themagazine includes automated handling features AF that are in knownrelationship with the kinematic features 610-612. The automated handlingfeatures AF are configured to interface with the gripper 1001AG of, forexample, magazine transport units 1001A. The magazine transport units1001A transport a magazine 105 to a predetermined automated transportand positioning system 100 and align the magazine with the door 120D onthe top of the chamber 125C so that when the magazine 105 is loweredthrough the door 120D, by a magazine transport unit 1001A, the kinematicfeatures 610-612 of the magazine are substantially aligned with thekinematic features KFF of the transport shuttle 120MS.

The cassette transport units 1001B include any suitable gripper 1001BGfor gripping the automated handling/kinematic features 510, 511 of thecassettes 102 (see e.g. FIGS. 3A-3F) and transporting the cassettes 102between the workpiece sequencer modules 1099 and the automated magazineloaders 1002 the where kinematic features 510 of the cassettes 102 arepositioned relative to a datum surface, such as a side of the cassettefor locating the cassette 102 in the workpiece sequencer modules 1099and the automated magazine loaders 1002. In one aspect, a commonautomated transport unit is configured to grip both the automatedhandling features AF of the magazines 105 and the cassettes automatedhandling/kinematic features 510, 511 of the cassettes 102 fortransporting either one of the magazines 105 and cassettes 102 betweenany suitable locations of the workpiece processing system 100PS. In oneaspect, the one or more automated transports 1001 include any suitabletransport for transporting workpieces between the sample preparationmodules 1000 and the workpiece sequencer modules 1099. In one aspect theautomated transports 1001 are an overhead material handling system (e.g.a gantry system) while in other aspects one or more of the automatedtransports 1001 are conveyors or any other suitable mechanizedtransport. As may be realized, the transport of the cassettes 102 andmagazines 105 can also be performed manually.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anautomated workpiece processing apparatus includes a processing sectionincluding a processing module configured for processing a workpiece at aprocess location; a transport module including a multistage shuttle, themultistage shuttle having a first shuttle stage having multiple degreesof freedom of motion, a second shuttle stage having multiple degrees offreedom of motion independent of the first stage, and an end effectorconnected to at least one of the first and second shuttle stages, theend effector being configured to hold the workpiece and transport theworkpiece into and out of the processing module, the end effector havinga range of motion, defined by a combination of the first and secondstage multiple degrees of freedom of motions, extending from a workpieceholding station outside the processing module to the processing locationinside the processing module for positioning the workpiece at theprocessing location so that the end effector defines a processing stageof the processing module; and an automated loading and transport sectionincluding a load port module through which workpieces are loaded intothe automated loading and transport section, the automated loading andtransport section being communicably connected to the transport module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one degree of freedom of movement of each of the first and secondshuttle stage share a common direction.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theat least one degree of freedom of movement of the first shuttle stageand the at least one degree of freedom of movement of the second shuttlestage are configure for a differential movement along the commondirection to effect capture of a workpiece with the end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated workpiece processing apparatus further includes a secondtransport shuttle separate and distinct from the multistage shuttle, thesecond transport shuttle being configured to transport workpiecesbetween a loading station of the automated loading and transport sectionand the transport module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated workpiece processing apparatus further includes a thirdtransport shuttle distinct from the multistage shuttle and the secondtransport shuttle, the third transport shuttle being configured totransport workpieces between the second transport shuttle and themultistage shuttle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one of the first and second shuttle stages includes a tilt axisdegree of freedom movement.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in a vacuum environment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in an atmosphericenvironment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment amotion resolution of the multistage shuttle is 0.5 micron.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theend effector includes an integral imaging sensor configured for imagingthe workpiece.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anautomated workpiece processing apparatus includes a processing sectionincluding a processing module configured for processing a workpiece at aprocess location; and a transport module including a multistage shuttle,the multistage shuttle having a first shuttle stage having multipledegrees of freedom of motion, a second shuttle stage having multipledegrees of freedom of motion independent of the first stage and an endeffector connected to at least one of the first and second shuttlestages, the end effector being configured to hold the workpiece andtransport the workpiece into and out of the processing module, the endeffector having a range of motion, defined by a combination of the firstand second stage multiple degrees of freedom of motions, extending froma workpiece holding station outside the processing module to theprocessing location inside the processing module for positioning theworkpiece at the processing location so that the end effector defines aprocessing stage of the processing module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated workpiece processing apparatus further includes a load lockmodule communicably connected to the transport module, the load lockmodule being configured to provide loading and unloading of workpiecesto and from the transport module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theload lock module includes a sealable chamber configured to cycle betweenan atmosphere of the transport module and an atmosphere external to thetransport module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theatmosphere of the transport module is substantially similar to anatmosphere of the processing module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated workpiece processing apparatus further includes a secondtransport shuttle separate and distinct from the multistage shuttle, thesecond transport shuttle being configured to transport workpiecesbetween a loading station of the load lock module and the transportmodule.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated workpiece processing apparatus further includes a thirdtransport shuttle separate and distinct from the multistage shuttle andthe second transport shuttle, the third transport shuttle beingconfigured to transport workpieces between the second transport shuttleand the multistage shuttle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one degree of freedom of movement of each of the first and secondshuttle stage share a common direction.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theat least one degree of freedom of movement of the first shuttle stageand the at least one degree of freedom of movement of the second shuttlestage are configured for a differential movement along the commondirection to effect capture of a workpiece with the end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one of the first and second shuttle stages includes a tilt axisdegree of freedom movement.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in a vacuum environment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in an atmosphericenvironment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anautomated loading apparatus for an electron microscope includes a frameconfigured to removably couple to a port of the electron microscope; atransport module connected to the frame, the transport module includinga multistage shuttle, the multistage shuttle having a first shuttlestage having multiple degrees of freedom of motion, a second shuttlestage having multiple degrees of freedom of motion independent of thefirst stage, and an end effector connected to at least one of the firstand second shuttle stages, the end effector being configured to hold theworkpiece and transport the workpiece into and out of the electronmicroscope through the port, the end effector having a range of motion,defined by a combination of the first and second stage multiple degreesof freedom of motions, extending from a workpiece holding stationoutside the electron microscope to a processing location inside theelectron microscope for positioning the workpiece at the processinglocation so that the end effector defines a processing stage of theelectron microscope; and an automated loading and transport sectionconnected to the frame and being communicably connected to the transportmodule, the automated loading and transport section including a loadport module through which workpieces are loaded into the automatedloading and transport section.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one degree of freedom of movement of each of the first and secondshuttle stage share a common direction.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theat least one degree of freedom of movement of the first shuttle stageand the at least one degree of freedom of movement of the second shuttlestage are configured for a differential movement along the commondirection to effect capture of a workpiece with the end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated loading apparatus includes a second transport shuttle separateand distinct from the multistage shuttle, the second transport shuttlebeing configured to transport workpieces between a loading station ofthe automated loading and transport section and the transport module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thesecond transport shuttle is configured to transport magazines configuredto hold one or more cassettes, where the cassettes are configured tohold one or more workpieces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated loading apparatus further includes a third transport shuttledistinct from the multistage shuttle and the second transport shuttle,the third transport shuttle being configured to transport workpiecesbetween the second transport shuttle and the multistage shuttle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one of the first and second shuttle stages includes a tilt axisdegree of freedom movement.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in a vacuum environment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in an atmosphericenvironment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment amotion resolution of the multistage shuttle is 0.5 micron.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theend effector includes an integral imaging sensor configured for imagingthe workpiece.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theworkpiece comprises a specimen grid.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anautomated workpiece processing apparatus includes a process moduleconfigured for processing a workpiece at a process location within theprocess module; a transport module having at least one workpiece holdinglocation and being connected to the process module with an openingallowing transport of the workpiece from the transport module to processmodule through the opening; a workpiece positioning stage with aworkpiece gripper disposed to stably hold the workpiece on the stage andconfigured so that the positioning stage holds the workpiece at theprocess location in the process module during processing; and a drivesection operably connected to the workpiece positioning stage andconfigured to actuate the workpiece positioning stage so that thepositioning stage has at least three degrees of freedom of motion thatpositions the workpiece at the process location and transports theworkpiece to and from the process location and the at least oneworkpiece holding location in the transport module through the opening;wherein the at least one workpiece holding location is at least a twodimensional array of workpiece holding locations arranged in rows andcolumns, and wherein the drive section effects the three degrees offreedom of motion at the process location and workpiece transport toeach workpiece holding location of the array with an actuator having atleast two common drive axes for positioning motion and transport.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment eachlocation is arranged so that it holds at least one workpiece.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thedrive section actuates the workpiece positioning stage to access eachworkpiece holding location of the array.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated workpiece processing apparatus further includes a loaderconfigured to load and unload workpiece arrays in the at least oneworkpiece holding location of the transport module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thedrive section is connected to the loader and actuates the loader to loadand unload workpiece arrays.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thedrive section effects range of motion loading the workpiece to the atleast one workpiece holding location, accessing the workpiece at eachlocation of the array at the at least one workpiece holding location,transporting the workpiece to the processing module and providing threedegrees of freedom of motion at the process location with no more thansix drive axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one drive axis has gross and fine positioning actuation.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theworkpiece gripper is an active gripper actuated by the drive sectionactuator, and at least one drive axis effecting at least one of thethree degrees of freedom of motion at the process location is shared foractuation of the gripper.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment amethod for processing a workpiece with an automated workpiece processingapparatus includes transporting a workpiece held on an end effector intoand out of a processing module where the end effector is connected to atransport module including a multistage shuttle having a first shuttlestage having multiple degrees of freedom of motion and a second shuttlestage having multiple degrees of freedom of motion independent of thefirst stage and an end effector connected to at least one of the firstand second shuttle stages, where the end effector has a range of motion,defined by a combination of the first and second stage multiple degreesof freedom of motions, extending from a workpiece holding stationoutside the processing module to the processing location inside theprocessing module for positioning the workpiece at the processinglocation so that the end effector defines a processing stage of theprocessing module; and automatically loading the workpiece onto the endeffector with an automated loading and transport section including aload port module through which workpieces are loaded into the automatedloading and transport section, the automated loading and transportsection being communicably connected to the transport module.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one degree of freedom of movement of each of the first and secondshuttle stage share a common direction.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes effecting capture of a workpiece with the endeffector by a differential movement of the at least one degree offreedom of movement of the first shuttle stage and the at least onedegree of freedom of movement of the second shuttle stage along thecommon direction.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes transporting workpieces between a loadingstation of the automated loading and transport section and the transportmodule with a second transport shuttle separate and distinct from themultistage shuttle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes transporting workpieces between the secondtransport shuttle and the multistage shuttle with a third transportshuttle distinct from the multistage shuttle and the second transportshuttle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes providing a tilt axis in at least one of thefirst and second shuttle stages.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in a vacuum environment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultistage shuttle is configured for operation in an atmosphericenvironment.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment amotion resolution of the multistage shuttle is 0.5 micron.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes imaging the workpiece with an imaging sensorintegral to the end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment amethod for an automated workpiece processing apparatus includes stablyholding a workpiece on a workpiece positioning stage with a workpiecegripper so that the positioning stage holds the workpiece at a processlocation in a process module during processing; and actuating theworkpiece positioning stage with a drive section operably connected tothe workpiece positioning stage so that the positioning stage has atleast three degrees of freedom of motion that positions the workpiece atthe process location and transports the workpiece to and from theprocess location and at least one workpiece holding location in atransport module through an opening connecting the process module withthe transport module; wherein the at least one workpiece holdinglocation is at least a two dimensional array of workpiece holdinglocations arranged in rows and columns, and wherein the drive sectioneffects the three degrees of freedom of motion at the process locationand workpiece transport to each workpiece holding location of the arraywith an actuator having at least two common drive axes for positioningmotion and transport.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment eachlocation is arranged so that it holds at least one workpiece.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes actuating the workpiece positioning stage withthe drive section to access each workpiece holding location of thearray.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes loading and unloading, with a loader, workpiecearrays in the at least one workpiece holding location of the transportmodule.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thedrive section is connected to the loader and the method includesactuating the loader to load and unload workpiece arrays.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes effecting a range of motion for loading theworkpiece to the at least one workpiece holding location with the drivesection; accessing the workpiece at each location of the array at the atleast one workpiece holding location; and transporting the workpiece tothe processing module and providing three degrees of freedom of motionat the process location with no more than six drive axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment atleast one drive axis has gross and fine positioning actuation.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theworkpiece gripper is an active gripper actuated by the drive sectionactuator, the method further comprises actuating the gripper by sharingat least one drive axis effecting at least one of the three degrees offreedom of motion at the process location.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anelectron microscope automated specimen holding stage includes a casinghaving at least a portion of which is sealed and configured to hold asealed atmosphere therein; a specimen holder connected to the casing andhaving an effector that engages and holds a specimen and support memberthat supports the effector from the casing, wherein at least a portionof the specimen holder is disposed within the sealed portion of thecasing; a coupling connected to the casing and configured for couplingthe casing to an electron microscope scanning chamber so that the sealedportion is in communication with the electron microscope scanningchamber with the effector of the specimen holder located inside theelectron microscope scanning chamber; and a drive section connected toand depending from the casing, and having an actuation motor, coupled tothe effector, located outside the sealed portion, wherein the actuationmotor moves the effector in the electron microscope scanning chamber.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theactuation motor moves the effector in the electron microscope scanningchamber during electron microscope imaging of the specimen held by theeffector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theactuation motor effects at least one degree of freedom of a specimenpositioning stage of the electron microscope.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theactuation motor moves the effector along at least one axis so that thespecimen holding stage complements specimen positioning of a specimenpositioning stage of the electron microscope.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thespecimen holder is a fast stage compared to the specimen positioningstage of the electron microscope, the actuation of the fast stage beingconsistent with and enabling high through-put scanning with the electronmicroscope.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment highthrough-put scanning has an imaging rate greater than 2 images/second.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theelectron microscope automated specimen holding stage further includes aspecimen holder fast settling system effecting settling of the effectorwhen actuated with the actuation motor consistent with electronmicroscope scanning with imaging frame rates in excess of 2images/second.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecoupling connects the casing to a closable port of the electronmicroscope scanning chamber and the effector is held by the supportmember in the electron microscope scanning chamber through the port.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theactuation motor is coupled to the effector by the support member, theactuation motor and effector being located respectively substantially atopposite ends of the support member.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thesupport member engages the casing at an end of the support memberproximate the effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecasing has an opening through which the effector and at least a portionof the support member project out of the casing, and wherein the supportmember and casing engage each other with a bearing proximate the casingopening.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theelectron microscope automated specimen holding stage further includes arolling bearing having an axis of freedom coincident with the drive axisof the actuation motor and engaging the support member and the casingproximate the effector end of the support member with the effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thesupporting member has at least one vibration damping element seatedthereon.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theelectron microscope automated specimen holding stage further includes abellows that seals the supporting member to the casing and the bellowsisolates the effector end of the support member from the actuationmotor.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anelectron microscope automated specimen holding stage including an endeffector configured to hold a specimen sample holder; an imaging systemconfigured to detect the specimen sample holder and determine a relativeposition between the specimen sample holder and the end effector; and anend effector drive that effects automatic positioning and automaticspecimen sample holder capture with the end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomatic positioning includes a changing of a relative position betweenthe end effector and the specimen sample holder.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theimaging system is configured to determine a relative position betweenthe specimen sample holder held on the end effector and a specimensample holder holding or processing station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theimaging system images a predetermined characteristic of the specimensample holder where the predetermined characteristic relates thespecimen sample holder and a specimen sample held on the specimen sampleholder.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thepredetermined characteristic is a unique identification indicia of thesample and/or sample holder, with error correction characters.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anelectron microscope includes a frame; an electron microscopy columnconnected to the frame, the frame defining an objective lens chamber ofthe electron microscopy column; and an automated specimen transport andpositioning system connected to the frame, the automated transport andpositioning system comprising, a specimen support with an end effector,configured to hold and position the specimen for tomography inspectionin the objective lens chamber, and a drive section operably connected tothe support and having multiple drive axes disposed to effect multipleindependent degree of freedom motion of the end effector, wherein theautomated transport and positioning system has a specimen pickingposition, outside of and sharing a common atmosphere with the objectivelens chamber, and the drive section effects movement of the end effectorfrom the picking position to the tomography inspection position withmultiple independent degree of freedom tomography inspection positioningof the specimen in one move.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultiple independent degree of freedom motion includes at least threedegrees of freedom.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themultiple independent degree of freedom motion includes at least onelinear axis traverse and rotation about at least two axes angledrelative to each other.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thedrive section is configured to effect an automatic picking of thespecimen with the end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomated transport and positioning system has an integral casing withthe objective lens chamber, and the casing forms a transport chamberhaving a common atmosphere with the objective lens chamber.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thedrive section effects motion of the end effector with micron levelresolution and repositioning to different tomography inspectionpositions in less than about 100 milliseconds.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment anelectron microscope includes an automated specimen holding stage havingan end effector configured to hold a specimen grid; an imaging systemconfigured to detect the specimen grid and determine a readable griddata storage medium connected to a frame of the grid embodying a uniquepredetermined characteristic corresponding to the grid, wherein the griddata storage medium is representative of another predeterminedcharacteristic of the specimen held in the specimen holding receptacleof the grid; and a processor communicably connected to the end effectorand imaging system, and configured to register the predeterminedcharacteristic of the grid from data of the grid data storage mediumread by the imaging system, and register grid related data defining theother predetermined characteristic of the grid.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theelectron microscope further includes an end effector drive that effects,with the controller, automatic positioning and automatic specimen gridcapture with the end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theautomatic positioning includes a changing of a relative position betweenthe end effector and the specimen sample holder.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theimaging system is configured to determine a relative position betweenthe specimen grid held on the end effector and a specimen grid holdingor processing station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theimaging system images a predetermined characteristic of the specimensample holder where the other predetermined characteristic of the gridrelates the specimen grid and a specimen sample held on the specimengrid.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thepredetermined characteristic is a unique identification indicia of thegrid, with error correction characters.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theother predetermined characteristic is unique and different than thepredetermined characteristic of the specimen grid.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theprocessor associates electron microscopy data of a specimen on thespecimen grid with the predetermined characteristic.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theother predetermined characteristic is related to a predetermined gridbatch scanning sequence of specimens effected by the electronmicroscope.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thepredetermined grid batch scanning sequence is automatically determinedwith loading of a grid batch cassette in an automated transport andpositioning unit of the electron microscope.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theother predetermined characteristic is representative of a sourcematerial configuration from which grid specimens disposed on a batch ofspecimen grids are made.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Variousalternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in theart without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiment are intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fallwithin the scope of the appended claims. Further, the mere fact thatdifferent features are recited in mutually different dependent orindependent claims does not indicate that a combination of thesefeatures cannot be advantageously used, such a combination remainingwithin the scope of the aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electron microscope automated specimen scanholding stage comprising: a casing having at least a portion of which issealed and configured to hold a sealed atmosphere therein, the casingbeing coupled to an electron microscope scanning chamber so that thesealed atmosphere is in communication with the electron microscopescanning chamber; a specimen holder stage connected to the casing andhaving an effector that engages and holds a specimen, and a supportmember that supports the effector from the casing with the effector ofthe specimen holder stage located inside the electron microscopescanning chamber; and a drive section connected to and depending fromthe casing, and having an actuation motor, coupled to the effector,wherein the actuation motor moves the effector in the electronmicroscope scanning chamber effecting specimen scan movement of theelectron microscope automated specimen scan holding stage, wherein theelectron microscope scans the specimen, seated on the electronmicroscope automated specimen scan holding stage, coincident withspecimen scan movement effected by specimen holder stage effectormovement of the specimen from the actuation motor; wherein the specimenholder stage is a fast stage actuated by the actuation motor consistentwith and enabling high through-put scanning, with the electronmicroscope, defined by substantially constant in column scan series withthe specimen holder stage in a substantially continuous series ofstepped scan movements that enable the high through-put scanning withthe electron microscope based on at least one of fast stage actuationmotions and settling that effect the substantially continuous series ofstepped scan movements of the specimen holder stage.
 2. The electronmicroscope automated specimen holding stage of claim 1, wherein the faststage actuation is consistent with and enabling high through-putelectron tomography scanning.
 3. The electron microscope automatedspecimen holding stage of claim 1, wherein the actuation motor moves theeffector in the electron microscope scanning chamber during electronmicroscope imaging of the specimen held by the effector.
 4. The electronmicroscope automated specimen holding stage of claim 3, wherein theactuation motor effects at least one degree of freedom of a specimenpositioning stage of the electron microscope.
 5. The electron microscopeautomated specimen holding stage of claim 3, wherein the fast stageactuation is consistent with and enabling high through-put electrontomography scanning with the electron microscope based on both faststage actuation motions and settling that effect the substantiallycontinuous series of stepped scan movements of the specimen holderstage.
 6. The electron microscope automated specimen holding stage ofclaim 1, wherein high through-put scanning is high through-put electrontomography scanning that has an imaging rate coincident with andthroughout the substantially continuous series of stepped scan movementsgreater than 2 images/second.
 7. The electron microscope automatedspecimen holding stage of claim 1, further comprising a specimen holderfast settling system effecting settling of the effector when actuatedwith the actuation motor consistent with tomography electron microscopescanning with imaging frame rates coincident with and throughout thesubstantially continuous series of stepped scan movements in excess of 2images/second.
 8. The electron microscope automated specimen holdingstage of claim 1, wherein the supporting member has at least onevibration damping element seated thereon.
 9. A electron tomographymicroscope comprising: a housing configured so as to seal a sealedatmosphere within, and having an electron tomography imaging column anda specimen scan holding stage disposed, at least in part, within thesealed atmosphere of the housing; a casing connected to a scanningchamber in the housing so that the sealed atmosphere is in communicationwith the casing; a specimen holder stage connected to the casing andhaving an effector that engages and holds a specimen and a supportmember that supports the effector from the casing with the effector ofthe specimen holder stage located inside the scanning chamber; and adrive section connected to and depending from the casing, and having anactuation motor, coupled to the effector, wherein the actuation motormoves the effector in the scanning chamber effecting specimen scanmovement of the specimen scan holding stage, wherein the electrontomography imaging column scans the specimen, seated on the specimenscan holding stage, coincident with specimen scan movement effected byspecimen holder stage effector movement of the specimen from theactuation motor; wherein the specimen holder stage is a fast stagecompared to a platen type, stepped motion, electron tomography specimenpositioning stage, consistent with and enabling high through-putelectron tomography scanning with the electron tomography microscope,wherein enabling of the high through-put electron tomography scanning isbased on at least one of fast stage actuation motions and settling. 10.The electron tomography microscope of claim 9, wherein the actuationmotor moves the effector in the scanning chamber during electronmicroscope imaging of the specimen held by the effector.
 11. Theelectron tomography microscope of claim 10, wherein the actuation motoreffects at least one degree of freedom of a specimen positioning stageof the electron tomography microscope.
 12. The electron tomographymicroscope of claim 9, wherein the specimen holder stage actuated by theactuation motor consistent with and enabling high through-put scanning,with the fast stage of the electron tomography microscope, defined bysubstantially constant in column scan series with the specimen holderstage in a substantially continuous series of stepped scan movementsthat enable the high through-put tomography scanning, with the faststage of the electron tomography microscope, based on the at least oneof fast stage actuation motions and settling that effect thesubstantially continuous series of stepped scan movements of thespecimen holder stage.
 13. The electron tomography microscope of claim12, wherein the fast stage actuation is consistent with and enablinghigh through-put electron tomography scanning with the electrontomography microscope based on both fast stage actuation motions andsettling that effect the substantially continuous series of stepped scanmovements of the specimen holder stage.
 14. The electron tomographymicroscope of claim 12, wherein high through-put scanning is highthrough-put electron tomography scanning that has an imaging rate,coincident with and throughout the substantially continuous series ofstepped scan movements, greater than 2 images/second.
 15. The electrontomography microscope of claim 12, further comprising a specimen holderfast settling system effecting settling of the effector when actuatedwith the actuation motor consistent with tomography electron microscopescanning with imaging frame rates, coincident with and throughout thesubstantially continuous series of stepped scan movements, in excess of2 images/second.
 16. The electron tomography microscope of claim 9,wherein the supporting member has at least one vibration damping elementseated thereon.